| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Horn of Africa: Locust swarms could reach India and Pakistan |
| 2007-07-05 |
| Rome, 4 July (AKI) - Desert locust swarms from Ethiopia and northern Somalia are expected to cross the Indian Ocean and could reach India and Pakistan in the coming days, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Wednesday. "This potentially dangerous situation should be closely monitored in both countries," the agency cautioned. "Desert Locusts usually fly with the wind and can travel up to about 100-150 km in a day,” said FAO locust expert Keith Cressman. “Locusts can stay in the air for long periods of time. For example, locusts regularly cross the Red Sea, a distance of around 300 km.” Crossing the Indian Ocean on monsoon winds is part of the natural migration cycle of Desert Locusts and has already occurred in the past. Moreover, two recent tropical cyclones have caused heavy rainfall in Pakistan and western India, creating unusually favourable breeding conditions for locusts until October along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. Coastal areas of western Pakistan could also be affected - for the first time in many years - FAO warned. The governments in India and Pakistan have been warned and they deploying field teams, equipment and resources in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India as well as in adjacent areas of Cholistan and Tharparkar deserts in Pakistan, FAO said. Meanwhile, across the Red Sea from the Horn of Africa, Yemen is facing the worst locust outbreak in nearly 15 years. Desert Locusts have infested large areas of the country's remote interior across to the Oman border in the east. FAO is organising a 5 million dollar emergency aerial control campaign in the interior of Yemen that will start later this month. Locust numbers are likely to increase dramatically as a second generation of breeding continues in these areas. Agricultural crops in Wadi Hadhramaut and other areas including the Sanaa highlands could be at risk. A very small part of an average swarm eats as much food in one day as about 2 500 people, FAO said. Jiminy Cricket! If the locust control campaign in the Yemen interior is not successful, there is a risk of numerous swarms forming and invading countries along both sides of the Red Sea during the autumn, FAO said. The campaign will fund two helicopters, pesticide, equipment, vehicles, and locust control and logistics experts. It is due to last 30 days but may be extended. |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #4 insh'allah |
| Posted by: RD 2007-07-05 14:41 |
| #3 I wonder what one of those big swarms looks like on a phased-array radar console I wonder what a phased-array radar set on "Toast" would do to a big swarm? I know what they'll do to seagulls. |
| Posted by: Steve 2007-07-05 13:00 |
| #2 I wonder what one of those big swarms looks like on a phased-array radar console. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-07-05 10:17 |
| #1 F*ck with me, will you?! |
| Posted by: Moses 2007-07-05 10:00 |