Swarms of Locusts Invade Saudi Arabia in Astonishing Numbers
In a video that's gone viral, a Saudi social media star shares footage of a tree covered in locusts outside his home, highlighting the region's ongoing pest crisis.
Saudi Arabia is joining the list of countries affected by a locust invasion in recent months. A Saudi social media star shared footage yesterday of a tree near his residence, covered by thousands of flying insects.
The enormous numbers of locusts blanket large areas of the country and can be found everywhere. The social media star recounted how he discovered the locusts after stepping outside to investigate why it suddenly became dark.
Countries in East Africa, southern Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Somalia, Jordan, and now Saudi Arabia have reported suffering from this invasive insect, which has already caused significant damage to crops and spurred a major humanitarian crisis.
Although Israel experienced a locust invasion in 2013, experts now estimate a lower chance of occurrence this time. Nonetheless, Agriculture Minister Tzachi Hanegbi is preparing in advance, hoping it won't be necessary to declare an emergency.
Back in 2013, when the locust menace reached Israel from Egypt, swarms of these terrifying insects were sighted in the southern regions, particularly around Nitzana and the Negev. The estimated damage then was in the millions of dollars for farmers.
Locust Plague - Fascinating Facts You Need to Know:
- A locust consumes an amount of food equivalent to its body weight daily.
- A locust swarm can astonishingly consist of up to 80 million insects.
- Locusts have been spotted in 60 countries worldwide, including Israel.
- In Israel, locusts mainly affected the south, with smaller numbers reaching the north and central regions.
- In 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture established a special 'Locust Line' for complaints, which was then numbered 03-9687500.
- Locusts are not dangerous to humans, only to agricultural crops. They become a threat when they disrupt the balance between existing crops and the population, as happened in Africa.
- In Israel, the locust issue was tackled using spray planes that eliminated the flying insects from above.
Watch the footage shared by the Saudi social media star on social media platforms:
(Photo taken from social media)
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