Senegal’s famed Pink Lake, or Lake Retba, has regained its distinctive rosy hue and reopened for salt harvesting after a years-long recovery effort following devastating floods in 2022. Emergency floodwaters diverted into the low-lying lake during that period diluted its salinity, disrupting both salt production and the conditions that give the water its color. The change devastated roughly 3,000 salt harvesters and thousands more who depend on related trade and tourism. To restore the lake, local associations raised about $40,000 to finance pumping operations that removed excess freshwater, while local authorities provided additional equipment and electricity. As salinity gradually returned, so did the lake’s iconic appearance, prompting officials to formally reopen it for salt extraction. The recovery has restored livelihoods for local workers and renewed hopes that thousands of tourists will once again visit one of Senegal’s best-known natural attractions.
CNBC Africa