What happens at Sossusvlei during rare years of heavy rainfall?

In the typically arid environment of the Namib desert, Sossusvlei is usually a dry, white pan composed of salt and clay.1

However, during rare years of heavy rainfall, the ephemeral Tsauchab River is able to flow all the way to the pan. When this occurs, the salt-and-clay depression transforms into a lake. This temporary body of water attracts various wildlife, including gemsboks, ostriches, jackals, kudus, and springboks, and the area becomes surrounded by vegetation.1