Climate change puts Sahara Desert at risk with intense storm (Image: @JohnWiertzema)
In a shocking turn of events, the Sahara Desert which is known for its scorching heat that had been dry for 50 years, experienced severe flooding due to torrential rainfall in southeastern Morocco on Saturday. This extreme weather event exceeded the region’s yearly averages claiming 18 lives and affecting areas still recovering from last year’s earthquake.
The village of Tagounite recorded over 100mm of rain in just 24 hours which is a staggering amount not seen in 30-50 years. Lake Iriqui which has been a dry lake bed for half a century was refilled remarkably. NASA satellite pictures showed an incredible change an exquisite lake now shines amidst the Sahara Desert’s dunes and palm trees.
Sahara Desert struck by largest deluge in decades, Water fills lake that had been dry for 50 years. pic.twitter.com/KgpiXg3120
— John Wiertzema (@JohnWiertzema) October 9, 2024
An official from Morocco’s meteorology agency, Houssine Youabeb talked about the rarity of this event. He stated that the Sahara Desert which spans 9 million square kilometres, faces increasing threats from extreme weather due to global warming. Leste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation explained that the rising temperatures accelerate the hydrological cycle leading to erratic and unpredictable weather patterns. Also, Scientists warn that future storms of this magnitude may become more frequent and said that the global water cycle is becoming increasingly unpredictable affecting everywhere across the world.
NASA‘s Terra satellite captured images of the Sahara Desert before and after a devastating storm. The satellite’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) technology uses a combination of visible and infrared light to detect water, vegetation and land. The images, taken on August 14 and September 10, 2024, reveal a dramatic transformation in that the areas covered in water appear dark and light blue with deeper water showing up as a deeper blue hue. Also, vegetation stands out in vibrant green while dry land displays other colours.
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