Photo: CFP

 
Tourists have flocked to Uluru to see rare waterfalls on the iconic rock after heavy rainfall in the Australian Outback.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) recorded about 50 mm of rain over the weekend, almost one sixth of its average yearly rainfall.

The deluge caused waterfalls to cascade down the sacred rock, attracting tourists in droves, according to The Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In a post on social media, national park rangers described the phenomenon as a "unique and extraordinary weather event."

"Rainwater on the rock's surface causes it to change color," it said.

"From dark burgundy to shining silver and even black, every side of Uluru takes a different shade, making this spectacle a photographer's delight.

"Following the rain, desert plants bloom and many animals emerge to mate and feed."

Hundreds of native frogs and insects have emerged from deep in the sand where they seek relief from scorching Outback heat.

"There are actually four species of frogs in the park which are well adapted to desert life. They bury themselves deep in the sand at a depth where the temperature is constant," rangers said.

"When the rain is heavy enough to soak down to where they have burrowed, they know that the waterholes and creeks are full. They will then emerge, often in vast numbers, to breed. After breeding they bloat themselves full of water and bury themselves below the sand again."