SR_Uzi
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- Posted: Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:24:39 +0000
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Cairo - A plague of over 30 million locusts has swarmed over Egypt's cities and farms, three weeks before Passover. The plague comes every year as part of the locusts' regular migration pattern. However, this year's swarm is reportedly unusually large.
The incident is being widely reported in the Israeli media with references to the "account related in the Passover Haggadah," that is, the Old Testament biblical story of the plague of locusts.
Israel National News begins its report with the comment: "As a reminder to those who thought the account related in the Passover Haggadah might have been an exaggeration – think again. Millions of locusts have swooped down in a swarm from the sky on to the land of Egypt."
According to the Times of Israel, the Egyptian Agricultural Minister Salah Abad Almoman, said the swarm of about 30 million insects descended on Giza, near southern Cairo.
YNet News reports the plague of locusts descended on farms in Giza and on the city of Cairo on Saturday. According to Al-Ahram, after the locusts descended on eastern Cairo, they headed to the Suez governorate, threatening agricultural land there.
Cairo residents reportedly burned tires, creating a thick black fog in the attempt to prevent the locusts from settling on the city. Large swarms were also reportedly sighted at Egypt's Red Sea city of Zafarana, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Cairo. Swarms also reached the Upper Egyptian city of Qena where they descended on three villages villages. Al-Ahram reports the locusts attacked agricultural lands in El-Raed and Youssef El-Sabae villages in the Suez governorate on Sunday afternoon. The locusts also attacked El-Obour market in Cairo on Sunday morning.
According to Al-Ahram, a farmer Ahmed El Sharkawy, said: "We have 40,000 acres that can be completely destroyed by locusts." Farmers have accused the government of not taking measures to prevent the swarm or combat it.
The Atlantic Wire, however, reports that Egyptian officials have said that the crops are largely safe. The government denied reports that the locusts are devastating crops. Officials also denied the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) report that the Ministry of Agriculture has cleared 11,000 hectares of land to save the harvest.
Almoman reportedly said: "The current inspection teams at areas targeted by locusts did not witness swarms damaging a single inch of crop." The agricultural minister said the locusts are sexually "immature and do not depend on plants for energy since they mainly rely on fat stores."
The minister insisted that the situation was under control. The Times of Israel reports he said: "Egyptian armed forces and the border guards are attempting to fight the swarm with the means at their disposal. I ask the families living in the locust-plagued areas not to burn tires. This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large scale fires that would cost in lives."A ministry official said crop-spraying aircraft will be deployed to fight the insects, the Times of Israel reports.
Locusts could be extremely destructive when they swarm. According to the UN, a ton of swarm can consume the same amount of food as 2,500 humans, The Atlantic Wire writes.
In 2004, Egypt suffered a locust infestation considered one of the worst in recent history. A swarm about 40 miles wide swept over the country damaging much of the crops with 15 out the country's 27 governorates suffering heavy losses.
The incident is being widely reported in the Israeli media with references to the "account related in the Passover Haggadah," that is, the Old Testament biblical story of the plague of locusts.
Israel National News begins its report with the comment: "As a reminder to those who thought the account related in the Passover Haggadah might have been an exaggeration – think again. Millions of locusts have swooped down in a swarm from the sky on to the land of Egypt."
According to the Times of Israel, the Egyptian Agricultural Minister Salah Abad Almoman, said the swarm of about 30 million insects descended on Giza, near southern Cairo.
YNet News reports the plague of locusts descended on farms in Giza and on the city of Cairo on Saturday. According to Al-Ahram, after the locusts descended on eastern Cairo, they headed to the Suez governorate, threatening agricultural land there.
Cairo residents reportedly burned tires, creating a thick black fog in the attempt to prevent the locusts from settling on the city. Large swarms were also reportedly sighted at Egypt's Red Sea city of Zafarana, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Cairo. Swarms also reached the Upper Egyptian city of Qena where they descended on three villages villages. Al-Ahram reports the locusts attacked agricultural lands in El-Raed and Youssef El-Sabae villages in the Suez governorate on Sunday afternoon. The locusts also attacked El-Obour market in Cairo on Sunday morning.
According to Al-Ahram, a farmer Ahmed El Sharkawy, said: "We have 40,000 acres that can be completely destroyed by locusts." Farmers have accused the government of not taking measures to prevent the swarm or combat it.
The Atlantic Wire, however, reports that Egyptian officials have said that the crops are largely safe. The government denied reports that the locusts are devastating crops. Officials also denied the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) report that the Ministry of Agriculture has cleared 11,000 hectares of land to save the harvest.
Almoman reportedly said: "The current inspection teams at areas targeted by locusts did not witness swarms damaging a single inch of crop." The agricultural minister said the locusts are sexually "immature and do not depend on plants for energy since they mainly rely on fat stores."
The minister insisted that the situation was under control. The Times of Israel reports he said: "Egyptian armed forces and the border guards are attempting to fight the swarm with the means at their disposal. I ask the families living in the locust-plagued areas not to burn tires. This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large scale fires that would cost in lives."A ministry official said crop-spraying aircraft will be deployed to fight the insects, the Times of Israel reports.
Locusts could be extremely destructive when they swarm. According to the UN, a ton of swarm can consume the same amount of food as 2,500 humans, The Atlantic Wire writes.
In 2004, Egypt suffered a locust infestation considered one of the worst in recent history. A swarm about 40 miles wide swept over the country damaging much of the crops with 15 out the country's 27 governorates suffering heavy losses.
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/04/locust-swarms-descend-on-egypt-like-biblical-plague/
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344785#ixzz2MuXybZ7t
