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Beautiful Flowers Bloom Over The World's Driest Hot Desert Thanks To The Record-Smashing Super El Niño
This year, however, the Atacama region has been showered by heavy rain due to the record-breaking El Niño event in the eastern Pacific, with some areas reportedly receiving 180 millimeters (7 inches) of rain this season. ⓘ IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites. While the deluge has caused problems elsewhere in South America, it’s been a blessing for the Atacama Desert as it has allowed millions of long-dormant seeds to awaken. The bloom is already well underway, and Chilean authorities forecast that the fields of colorful flowers could cover up to 15,000 square kilometers (5,791 square miles) at the peak of the season in October. “The Flowering Desert is a phenomenon that depends not only on rainfall, but also on factors such as soil absorption, temperatures, and solar exposure,” Gabriela López, provincial head of Protected Areas for CONAF Atacama, said in a translated statement. “Atacama is blooming, and we want Chile to turn its attention to our region. This phenomenon represents a great opportunity for tourism, our entrepreneurs, and the regional economy, but it is also a heritage that we must all protect,” added Sofía Cid, regional presidential delegate. Bloomin' marvelous The flowering desert is composed...
