The driest place in the world, the Sahara Desert, is flooded with water.. Scenes that the region has not seen for decades

Arab Weather - The Sahara Desert witnessed massive floods, filling lakes that had been dry for decades. The rare rains transformed the dry areas into blue lakes surrounded by palm trees and sand dunes, reviving some of the most arid areas with water that had not been seen in decades.

Heavy rain in southeastern Morocco

The desert in southeastern Morocco is one of the driest places on Earth, and rain rarely falls during the summer. In September, some areas of Morocco recorded more rainfall than the annual average, leading to massive flooding. For example, the Tata region saw more than 250 mm of rain, and the village of Tagounit recorded more than 100 mm in just 24 hours.

Lakes come back to life after 50 years

NASA satellite images have shown water rushing to fill the famous Lake Iriki, which has been dry for 50 years. The phenomenon has caught the attention of tourists and residents, with four-wheel drive vehicles seen driving through the formed pools, to the amazement of locals.

Impact of storms on future weather

According to Hussein Youaab of Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology, this unusual rainfall, called an extratropical storm, could change the weather pattern in the region in the coming months and years. Increased humidity in the atmosphere could lead to more storms and rain.

• Will rain help end drought?

While local communities hope the rains will help replenish the vast aquifers beneath the desert, it remains unclear how much of an impact the rains will have on easing the effects of a drought that has plagued the region for six consecutive years. However, water reservoirs have been reported to be refilling at record rates throughout September.

• Human and material damage

Sadly, the floods have killed more than 20 people in Morocco and Algeria, and damaged farmers’ harvests, prompting governments to allocate emergency relief funds.

Similar scenes in Death Valley, California

This unique phenomenon isn't limited to the Sahara Desert; in California's Death Valley, the area has seen an unprecedented regeneration due to heavy rains that have transformed the driest place in America into a gorgeous oasis, closing the national park to visitors and destroying roads.

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