Locust outbreak, most serious in 25 years, hits East Africa

most serious outbreak of desert locusts in 25 years is spreing across East Africa and posing an unprecedented threat to food security in some of world’s most vulnerable countries, authorities say. Unusual climate conditions are partly to blame.

locust swarms hang like shimmering dark clouds on horizon in some places. Roughly length of a finger, insects fly toger by millions and are devouring crops and forcing people in some areas to bodily we through m. Near Kenyan town of Isiolo on Thursday, one young camel herder swung a stick at m, with little effect. Ors tried to shout m away.

An “extremely dangerous increase” in locust swarm activity has been reported in Kenya, East African regional body reported this week. One swarm measured 60 kilometers (37 miles) long by 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in country's rast, Intergovernmental Authority on Development said in a statement.

“A typical desert locust swarm can contain up to 150 million locusts per square kilometer,” it said. “Swarms migrate with wind and can cover 100 to 150 kilometers in a day. An aver swarm can destroy as much food crops in a day as is sufficient to feed 2,500 people.”

outbreak of desert locusts, considered most dangerous locust species, also has affected parts of Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea and IG warns that parts of South Sudan and Uganda could be next.

outbreak is making region's b food security situation worse, United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has warned. Hundreds of thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed.

Alrey millions of people cope with constant risk of drought or flooding, as well as dely unrest in Ethiopia, extremist attacks in Somalia and lingering fighting in South Sudan as it emerges from civil war.

furr increase in locust swarms could last until June as favorable breeding conditions continue, IG said, helped along by unusually heavy flooding in parts of region in recent weeks.

Major locust outbreaks can be devastating. A major one between 2003 and 2005 cost more than $500 million to control across 20 countries in rrn Africa, FAO has said, with more than $2.5 billion in harvest losses.

To help prevent and control outbreaks, authorities analyze satellite ims, stockpile pesticides and conduct aerial spraying. In Ethiopia, officials said y have deployed four small planes to help fight invasion.

But one approach backfired in Kenya in recent days when agriculture minister asked people to post photos on social media of suspected locusts, or “nzige” in Swahili.

A mocking series of ims of warthogs, cats, lizards and or beasts followed, with pleas for help in identifying m, and appeal was ended.