SALON

Monday, Mar 4, 2013 4:46 PM UTC

Just in time for Passover: Locusts plague Egypt

A swarm descended on Cairo over the weekend. Where's Charlton Heston when you need him?

By

Topics: GlobalPost, Egypt, Passover, Israel, The Middle East,

Just in time for Passover: Locusts plague Egypt
This article originally appeared on GlobalPost.

Global Post Where is Charlton Heston when you need him?

A swarm of locusts hit Egypt over the weekend, just ahead of Passover.

The Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation said 95 percent of the swarm that descended on Cairo on Saturday was eradicated, according to Egypt Independent.

A statement from the ministry released late on Sunday said small numbers of locusts were spotted above Nasr City, Cairo Stadium and the airport. Nearly 17,452 locusts were exterminated, according to the ministry.

According to Israel National News, officials estimated that at least 30 million locusts swarmed fields and farms, causing massive damage to agriculture.

However, Egypt’s Agriculture Minister Salah Abdel Momen said that the swarms would not damage crops as they were storing fat on their bodies for their annual spring migration.

While Egyptian authorities battled the mobs of grasshoppers, Momen warned people not to take matters into their own hands. Burning tires to drive the locusts away would only disperse the swarms, making them harder to track, he said.

“I ask the families living in the locust-plagues areas not to burn tires,” Momen said, according to Israel National News. “This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large-scale fires that would cost in lives.”

Israel is on locust alert, with Israel’s Agriculture Ministry setting up an emergency hotline on Monday.

Priyanka Boghani

More Priyanka Boghani.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 1 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

Salon is proud to feature content from GlobalPost, an awarding-winning international news site that focuses on original reporting from journalists stationed around the world. GlobalPost combines traditional journalistic values with the power of new media to offer a fresh perspective on global developments.

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations