The Atacama Desert, an arid region in northern Chile, is the oldest and driest desert in the world. But a lesser-known fact about the desert is that it explodes with new plant life every few years. Surprised? Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda has shared few photos on Twitter which show the desert land covered by flowers. According to BBC, this is caused by enormous and unexpected amounts of rainfall in the area, which leads to an unusual phenomenon known as 'desierto florido,' or flowering desert.
"The Atacama Desert in Chile is known to be the driest place on Earth. Average rainfall is 15mm/ year. Some weather stations have never received rainfall at all. But when it receives higher rains, it blooms like a fairy land," Mr Nanda wrote while sharing the post on Twitter on Sunday.
According to the BBC, rain causes buried seeds to germinate and flower, causing the "desierto florido" (flowering desert) phenomenon to occur every five to seven years. This arid land explodes with new plant life during this period.
The post shared by Mr Nanda has received hundreds of likes and shares on Twitter. Users have left surprisingly beautiful remarks in the comment section of the post.
One user wrote, "Now that's mother nature. Beautiful." Another simply said, "Marvel of nature."
"Always remembering when I went to Atacama, it was cloudy and I didn't see the stars, I saw it rain and I left just before it bloomed," wrote a third user while commenting on the post.
During a desert bloom, thousands of wildflowers cover the area in colour. This desert is home to over 200 different types of wildflowers, including the pink pata de guanaco and the yellow ananuca.
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