- Title: Heavy rains set stage for Chile's Atacama Desert flowering season
- Date: 24th August 2022
- Summary: COPIAPO, ATACAMA REGION, CHILE (AUGUST 24, 2022) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BIOLOGIST AND RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ATACAMA, ROBERTO CONTRERAS, SAYING: "In June, there was a downpour in the Huasco province. In many sectors, there were over 80 millimetres (0.26 ft) of water. In the centre of the Copiapo province and in Caldera, there were around 38 millimetres (0.12 ft) of water. This is telling us that the 2022 flowering desert phenomenon could be intense."
- Embargoed: 7th September 2022 19:11
- Keywords: Atacama desert Bloom Chile Desert Flower Flowering
- Location: COPIAPO & HUASCO PROVINCE, ATACAMA REGION, CHILE
- City: COPIAPO & HUASCO PROVINCE, ATACAMA REGION, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Environment,South America / Central America,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA004045624082022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The plains of northern Chile will once again be filled with flowers and colours, as this year's winter rains have set the stage for a desert bloom in the Atacama Desert, authorities said on Tuesday (August 23)
Footage showed patches of grass, carnations, Encelia canescens and other flower species blooming in the Chilean desert, the driest in the world.
A desert bloom is a climatic phenomenon which takes place in some deserts around the world in years when rainfall is unusually high.
Chilean biologist and researcher Roberto Contreras explained that in June 2022, rainfall in some provinces of the Atacama region amounted for more than 80 millimetres (0.26 ft) of water, which indicates the desert bloom will be intense.
Nevertheless, Contreras explained the amounts of water left by rainfall are not always fixated thus there must be other environmental factors involved.
During the second half of September, Llanos de Challe National Park is expecting an intense blossoming season which will attract a lot of tourism.
Chile's National Tourism Service, Alejandro Martin, said authorities are getting ready to receive those tourists, but that the invitation also comes with a call "to take care" of the place.
(Production: Jorge Vega, Anna Portella) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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