When it comes to the Sahara Desert, most people associate it with scorching heat and vast stretches of barren sand. However, surprisingly, many areas of this desert have recently been flooded due to heavy rainfall.
Rare heavy rains have created cool water bodies in the Sahara Desert, resulting in more water here than at any other time in decades.
The Sahara Desert is one of the driest places in the world, and at this time of year, it almost never receives rain. However, the Moroccan government reported that two days of heavy rain have brought rainfall amounts exceeding the annual average in some areas.
The desert in southeastern Morocco, one of the driest places in the world, is now flooded. (Photo: AP).
Thunderstorms have created a striking image of water flooding amidst the sands of the Sahara. Satellites from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show that water has filled Lake Iquiri, a famous lake that has been dry for the past 50 years.
Heavy rains have brought more rainfall than at any other time in the past decade to the Sahara Desert region. (Photo: AP).
Meteorologists state that such rains in the Sahara Desert are considered extratropical storms, which can alter the region’s weather for months, or even years, as the air retains more moisture, evaporates more, and generates more thunderstorms or storms.
Buses taking tourists to a lake created by the rare heavy rains in the desert town of Merzouga (Morocco). (Photo: AP).
The significant rainfall in this area is indeed very rare, especially as most of Morocco has been experiencing drought for six consecutive years, according to AP. However, it remains unclear how much this rainfall can alleviate the drought situation. In fact, the water flooding through the sands has led to over 20 fatalities in Morocco and Algeria and has damaged the crops of many farmers. Therefore, the governments of these countries have had to assist the people with emergency funds, especially in areas affected by last year’s earthquake.
