A rare deluge of rainfall has transformed the arid Sahara Desert into a landscape of blue lagoons, nourishing some of its most drought-stricken regions with more water than many had seen in decades.
Southeastern Morocco, known for its extreme aridity, experienced an extraordinary two-day rainfall event in September. This rainfall exceeded yearly averages in several areas, including Tata, one of the hardest-hit regions. In Tagounite, a village south of Rabat, over 100 millimeters of rain fell in a single day – a record-breaking amount for the region.
The unexpected rainfall created stunning scenes of water gushing through the Saharan sands, amidst castles and desert flora. In tourist-frequented desert communities, 4x4s navigated through the puddles as residents marveled at the transformation.
According to Houssine Youabeb of Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology, such a significant rainfall event is unprecedented in the region in 30 to 50 years. Meteorologists believe this extratropical storm could mark a turning point for the region’s weather, as the increased moisture in the air may lead to more evaporation and subsequent storms.
The rainfall comes as a relief to Morocco, which has faced six consecutive years of drought. The drought has forced farmers to leave fields fallow and cities to ration water consumption. The recent rainfall is expected to help replenish the large groundwater aquifers beneath the desert and refill the region’s dammed reservoirs.
However, the heavy rainfall has also caused damage. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Morocco and Algeria, and farmers’ harvests have been affected. The Moroccan government has allocated emergency relief funds to assist those affected by the rainfall and last year’s earthquake.
NASA satellites have captured images of water filling Lake Iriqui, a famous lakebed that had been dry for 50 years. The unexpected rainfall has transformed the Sahara Desert in a way that was once thought impossible, offering both hope and challenges for the region’s future.