Rare Desert Lakes Form in Morocco After Historic Rainfall

Considered one of the driest places in the world that rarely sees rain in late summer, the southeastern Moroccan desert has recorded a historic phenomenon this year. According to the Moroccan government, two days of rain in September exceeded annual averages in several regions that receive less than 250 mm per year on average, including Tata, one of the hardest hit regions, reports Daily Mail. These abundant rains have created lakes between the sand dunes of the desert town of Merzouga, near Errachidia.

Similarly, more than 100 mm were recorded over a 24-hour period in Tagounite, a village located about 450 km south of Rabat. Palm trees were flooded, offering an unprecedented sight to the inhabitants. There is even a lake that has been dry for 50 years, Lake Iriqui, located between the regions of Zagora and Tata, where the water has returned, as revealed by NASA images. The region’s reservoirs reported record filling throughout September.

"It had been 30 to 50 years since we had so much rain in such a short time," admitted Houssine Youabeb, head of communication at the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM). Such rains, which meteorologists describe as an extratropical storm, could indeed change the climate of the region in the months and years to come, as the air retains more moisture, causing more evaporation and attracting more storms." A relief for farmers who have suffered from six consecutive years of drought. They had been forced to leave their fields fallow. Cities and villages had had to ration their water consumption.

These heavy rains have not only brought happiness. They caused the death of 20 people in Morocco and damaged farmers’ crops, forcing the government to allocate emergency relief funds, including in some areas affected by last year’s earthquake.