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Heavy rainfall caused by a strong El Niño event has led to an unusual bloom of flowers across the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. This rare occurrence, known as "desierto florido" or flowering desert, involves around 200 plant species that lay dormant until sufficient water is available for germination. The National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) reports that some areas received over 180 millimetres of rain this season, with forecasts predicting the peak bloom in October across approximately 15,000 hectares. However, these rains also caused severe flooding, resulting in at least 13 deaths and significant property damage.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
El Niño, a climate phenomenon characterized by warming surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, has brought unprecedented rainfall to northern Chile, transforming the usually arid Atacama Desert. This desert, one of the driest places on Earth, now boasts vibrant displays of purple and white flowers across thousands of hectares. The heavy rains, which have exceeded 180 millimeters in some areas (a level never recorded before), have awakened millions of dormant seeds from around 200 different species that lie beneath the desert's surface. According to César Pizarro, head of biodiversity at Chile’s National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), this phenomenon is expected to reach its peak splendor in October 2023. The unusual floral display has attracted a significant number of visitors, who come to photograph the rare spectacle.
Written for “El Nino In Atacama Desert” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Exceptionally heavy El Niño rains have awakened millions of seeds lying dormant underground, blanketing vast swathes of one of the planet's driest regions with flowers.
asserted
rains → awaken → flowers
The Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on the planet, has been transformed in appearance after intense rainfall in northern Chile.
asserted
Desert → transform → Chile
Vast swathes of usually parched ground have been carpeted with purple and white flowers in a natural phenomenon known as the "desierto florido", or "flowering desert".
asserted
swathes → carpet → florido
Beneath the soil of Atacama, seeds and bulbs from around 200 different species lie dormant for long periods, waiting for the conditions they need to germinate.
asserted
they → lie → conditions
The rainfall linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon has enabled many of them to bloom.
asserted
rainfall → link → them
The result has transformed parts of the desert landscape and drawn in large numbers of visitors, who stop to photograph the unusual display of blossom.
asserted
who → transform → blossom
In some areas, more than 180 millimetres of rain have fallen, a level that "has never been recorded before", César Pizarro, head of biodiversity in Atacama at Chile's National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), told AFP.
asserted
Pizarro → fall → AFP
Water has seeped deeper than usual into the sand, encouraging vegetation to emerge in the nature reserve around 800 kilometres north of Santiago.
asserted
Water → seep → Santiago
According to Conaf forecasts, the phenomenon will reach its peak splendour in October.
uncertain
phenomenon → accord → October
The agency estimates that around 15,000 hectares could end up carpeted with flowers.
uncertain
hectares → estimate → flowers
El Niño behind the exceptional rainfall
The flowering comes after a period of heavy rainfall linked to El Niño, a climate phenomenon characterised by the warming of surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.
asserted
flowering → come → Pacific
This warming can disrupt wind and rainfall patterns in different parts of the world and trigger extreme weather events.
asserted
warming → warm → events
The current El Niño episode could be the strongest since comparable records began four decades ago.
uncertain
records → begin → ?
The rains that hit Chile in July also had serious consequences.
asserted
that → hit → consequences
At least 13 people were killed and around 4,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged.
asserted
homes → kill → ?
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