Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth, is currently experiencing a rare event as it is carpeted with flowers in different shades of purple.
This part of Chile holds the world's record for the longest time without rainfall. During the 20th century, it experienced 173 straight months without rain, according to The Washington Post.
The flowers bloomed following a heavy downpour earlier this year. The rains caused catastrophic flooding, mudslides, destroyed some historical sites and killed at least 28 people. However, it also provided water for flower seeds that have been dormant for years, Fox News reports.
This phenomenon takes place every five to seven years, but this is the most spectacular blossoming the region has seen in the past 18 years, according to International Business Times.
"The Atacama region was punished, but also blessed by the phenomenon of a flourishing desert, something that happens only after the rains, this time brought about by El Niño and climate change. The intensity of blooms this year has no precedent and the fact that it has happened twice in a same year has never been recorded in the country's history. We are surprised." said Daniel Diaz, National Tourism Service director in Atacama, according to ABC News.
