Heavy Rainfall Causes Flooding in Sahara Desert

Recent unprecedented rainfall in the Sahara Desert, particularly in southeastern Morocco, has resulted in at least 20 fatalities and significant flooding, marking the heaviest deluge in 50 years. Areas such as Rabat and Tagounite experienced rainfall exceeding annual averages, with some regions receiving more than 100 millimeters in just a day. This extreme weather has transformed previously dry landscapes, replenishing Lake Iriqui, which had been parched for five decades, and filling reservoirs at record rates. While the rains may offer some relief to groundwater supplies depleted by six years of drought, they have also caused extensive damage to crops and energy infrastructure. Meteorologists suggest that such storms could alter weather patterns in the region for years to come due to increased moisture retention in the atmosphere. The dual nature of this event underscores the challenges of both revitalizing the arid landscape and managing the immediate dangers of flooding.