In southern Tunisia, locals woke up to a miracle — or a mystery. A brand-new lake had appeared in the middle of the desert, glittering under the sun where there had been nothing but dust the day before.
Scientists were baffled. There were no storms, no underground pipelines, and no signs of flooding. Theories ranged from an earthquake opening a spring to a hidden aquifer bursting forth. For locals, it was simpler: a blessing. Within days, children were swimming, teens were diving, and food stalls sprang up along the shore.
But soon, health officials warned that the water might be radioactive, possibly linked to nearby phosphate mines. Despite the warnings, many still come to bathe in “Lac de Gafsa,” believing it to be a gift from nature that won’t last.
Whether miracle or mystery, it’s a story that reminds us how quickly the earth can rewrite its own map.
