Egypt Battles Desert Locust Swarms from Libya
Date: 11-Nov-04
Country: EGYPT
An Agriculture Ministry official said some of the swarms of desert locusts, which entered Egypt's northwest coastal area last week from Libya, had been killed without damaging crops, MENA reported.
The locusts were easily destroyed because they were not yet fully grown, the official said.
Egypt had formed squads to deal with the locusts as soon as they were spotted on the border with Libya, the official said.
Desert locusts have ravaged the countryside in countries including Mauritania, Mali and Niger this year. Swarms of the large, pink locusts have also recently arrived in Cyprus. It is thought they were carried on winds from North Africa.
