New life for Death Valley
California’s Death Valley – normally known as one of the most desolate and unforgiving places on earth – is currently blanketed with wildflowers following the wettest year in a century.
According to The Times, which carries a photograph of the usually barren valley covered in desert gold poppies, says the remarkable transformation has been brought about because six inches of rain has fallen since last summer – around three times the normal amount.
The newspaper reports that the rain has brought to life millions of seeds that have lain dormant for many years, “giving life to more than 50 species of wildflowers”.
A spokesman for a local wild flower society is quoted as saying: “This type of consistent rain is a recipe for an explosion of colour. The year 2005 is likely to be remembered as the wild-flower show of a lifetime.”
As well as the explosion of colour currently being seen in the valley, a small salty pond known as Badwater has reportedly been transformed into a five-mile-long lake, allowing windsurfing and kayaking to take place.
The transformation has reportedly attracted many tourists including the US President’s wife Laura Bush who, according to The Times, “dragged her Secret Service agents on a 10-mile hike”. Catch it while you can!
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
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