Elements Overcome Canary Island Pink Locust Swarm
Date: 01-Dec-04
Country: SPAIN
On Sunday more than 100 million of the insects reached Fuerteventura from west Africa -- just 150 kms (95 miles) away -- driving tourists from the island's picturesque beaches.
But on Monday night most of the swarm perished either from heavy rain or winds which pushed them out to the Atlantic Ocean.
"They die in the ocean ... and the rain slows their flight as it soaks their wings," Antonio Ortega, director general of the regional agriculture department, said on Tuesday.
Locusts have destroyed crops in central and western Africa in recent months but the insects that reached Fuerteventura ate little as they were too tired from their flight, officials said.
The Canary Islands are popular with sun-seeking northern Europeans and the region has been Spain's third most important for tourism by visitor numbers this year.
