Chile’s Atacama Desert blooms after heavy El Niño rains — Euronews
In the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, large areas of normally arid land have been covered with purple and white flowers following intense rainfall. This natural phenomenon, known as the “flowering desert,” occurred after rains linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon, Euronews reports.
Seeds waited for rainfall
Seeds and bulbs of around 200 plant species have long remained dormant beneath the Atacama’s soil. Heavy rainfall created conditions for their germination and flowering. The unusual landscape has already attracted numerous visitors photographing the desert’s blooming areas.
According to César Pizarro, head of biodiversity for the Atacama region at Chile’s National Forestry Corporation, Conaf, some areas received more than 180 millimeters of rainfall. He said that such a level of rain had not previously been recorded there.
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Peak flowering expected in October
Water penetrated the sand deeper than usual, contributing to the emergence of vegetation in a nature reserve about 800 kilometers north of Santiago. Conaf forecasts that the phenomenon will reach its greatest extent in October, with flowers potentially covering around 15,000 hectares.
El Niño is characterized by warming of surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and can alter wind and rainfall patterns in different regions of the world. July downpours in Chile also caused significant destruction: at least 13 people died, while about 4,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
