Incredible Video Shows River Returning to the Desert in Israel After Years of Drought

Incredible Video Shows River Returning to the Desert in Israel After Years of Drought

A truly remarkable and rare occurrence was captured on camera overseas as rainfall sent water gushing down a river for the first time in years.

The river Zin, which drains into the Dead Sea, is about 75 miles long and runs through the Negev Desert, in southern Israel. While it's referred to as a river, usually only the dry bed of the Zin can be seen. Also called the Nahal Zin, the river rarely holds any water due to the arid desert conditions.

But that changed last week, and the transformation was captured in a video uploaded to YouTube on March 14. Heavy rainfall on mountains miles away caused water to run down and fill the riverbed. After years of viewing a dusty and dry creek, villagers gathered at the river's edge to see the water pour down.

For those who live in the desert, the flood was a welcome event — reason to cheer and celebrate! A lone dog even joined in to witness the flood, although it quickly scampered away as the water surged closer to the ledge where the curious crowd had congregated. While it is rare for the river to be filled with water, it is even more rare for the flooding to be captured on camera. The audience that gathered and the sudden waterfall created by the flood adds to the power of the clip.

The person who uploaded the video described the river's re-emergence in Hebrew as an "unforgettable experience" and "amazing." YouTube user Melanie Ross commented, "What a beautiful sight. Awesome." Another user added, "You can feel the new life that flows with this."