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Unprecedented rainfall last month in southeastern Morocco led to flooding in the Sahara desert for the first times in decades, CBS reports. Considered one of the driest regions in the world, the area experienced more rain in two days than it typically sees in a year. In Tagounite, over 3.9 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours, contrasting the usual annual average of less than 10 inches. The heavy rains filled Lake Iriqui, which had been dry for 50 years.
Respite for drought-plagued Morocco: This rainfall is particularly significant for Morocco, which has faced six consecutive years of drought, forcing farmers to abandon fields and communities to ration water. The recent rains have begun to refill groundwater aquifers and reservoirs, offering a glimmer of hope for the drought-stricken region.
Better times ahead? “It’s been 30 to 50 years since we’ve had this much rain in such a short space of time,” an official from Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology told CBS. The rainfall may signal a shift in the weather patterns. Increased moisture in the air could lead to more frequent storms in the future, the official added.
It wasn’t without consequences: More than 20 people lost their lives in Morocco and Algeria, and the floods damaged crops, prompting the government to allocate emergency relief funds. Despite the immediate benefits of the rainfall, it remains uncertain if it will alleviate the conditions created by long-term drought.
