Pakistan has declared a national emergency after massive swarms up to dozens of miles wide have taken over the country and decimated local crops.
As shocking images and videos revealed, a locust plague is ravaging the fields and cities whereas billions of insects are eating everything on their way.
The declaration of national emergency follows shortly after swarms up to 40 miles wide have decimated pasturelands and crops in east Africa.
According to the authorities, the swarms have been destroying valuable crops including wheat, maize, and cotton.
“We are facing the worst locust infestation in more than two decades and have decided to declare national emergency to deal with the threat,” Firdous Ashiq Awan, Pakistan’s Information Minister, confirmed.
As the National Food Security Minister added, “the locust attack is unprecedented and alarming” and the first of its kind since 1993.
Meanwhile, similar incidents have also been recorded in Saudi Arabia where the sky was seen saturated in locusts.
Amid the infestation crisis, the United Nations have warned that locust swarms in several African countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya could lead to a humanitarian crisis due to the damages they do to the crops and pasturelands.
While the plague is the worst that Somalia and Ethiopia had to face within the last 25 years, Kenya reportedly hasn’t experienced such calamity in 70 years.
As the experts have warned, the hoards could get up to five hundred times bigger as the next generation of locusts hatches in June.
What are your thoughts on this news? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends and follow us on Facebook for more news and stories!
Replaced!