Rare Flooding in Sahara Desert: Lakes Form Amid Sand Dunes After Heavy Rainfall in Morocco
Southeast Morocco – The Sahara Desert, typically known for its arid and dry conditions, has experienced an extraordinary transformation after heavy rainfall in September. For the first time in decades, intense rains have created large lakes amid the sand dunes, drastically altering the barren landscape, CNN reports.
The unprecedented downpours, particularly in southeast Morocco, led to floods across several desert areas. NASA data revealed that some regions received nearly 8 inches of rain, turning parts of the desert into expansive water bodies. The city of Errachidia, located in the southeast, recorded close to 3 inches of rain, which is four times its usual monthly average.
Houssine Youabeb, from Morocco’s meteorology agency, remarked, “It’s been 30 to 50 years since we’ve had this much rain in such a short space of time.” One of the most dramatic changes occurred in the town of Merzouga, where newly formed lakes now reflect palm trees that once stood in a sea of sand dunes. Additionally, areas like Iriqui National Park saw their dry lakes replenished by the downpour.
While much of the rainfall occurred in remote regions, some towns and villages were severely impacted, with deadly floods claiming the lives of over a dozen people last month. Satellite imagery captured the northwest Sahara, now unusually green—a stark contrast to its typical parched appearance.
Experts have linked this rare weather phenomenon to climate change, cautioning that global temperature increases due to fossil fuel pollution may lead to more extreme weather events in the Sahara. The floods exemplify how human activities are disrupting natural cycles, potentially altering the desert’s ecosystem in the years to come.
The transformation of the Sahara’s landscape highlights the broader impacts of climate change on even the world’s driest regions, prompting concerns over the future of desert environments.
