Atacama Desert: The usually arid sand dunes of Chile’s Atacama desert, renowned as the driest on Earth, have transformed into a spectacle of white and purple blooms in recent days. Early rains have spurred flowers to blossom amidst the Southern Hemisphere winter.
Known as the “flowering desert”, the Atacama sees resilient seeds and bulbs enduring harsh conditions, blooming sporadically every few years during springtime. However, unusual heavy rains, linked to the El Niño weather pattern, have triggered an early bloom this year.
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Cesar Pizarro, head of biodiversity conservation at the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), cautioned that the current blooms have not yet reached the scale to be officially termed a “flowering desert”. He noted expectations of more rain in the coming weeks, potentially extending the bloom across a broader expanse. “”In the meantime, we have to wait,” he remarked.
The last early bloom event occurred in 2015.
“The opportunity to step foot in this place, and to be able to enjoy the beauty of it, is wonderful,” expressed visitor Fernanda Ponce. “It’s a privilege.”
