Biblical scenes: Billions of locusts descend onto Madagascar capital (PHOTOS)
1 Sep, 2014 20:35 / Updated 10 years ago
A swarm of locusts invades the center of Madagascar capital Antananarivo on August 28, 2014. (AFP Photo / Rijasolo)
AFP
Madagascar has been taken over by uncountable numbers of locusts. This year, the leaf munchers' invasion has not only brought fears of food shortages - the country's capital city residents are also at risk, as some catch the toxic insects for food.
The sky over the Madagascar capital Antananarivo has turned dark
- an endless stream of locusts has brought biblical scenes.
The country is suffering from a locust plague for the third year
running, as billions of insects are on their annual migration
route.
In 2012, the government declared a national emergency and allowed
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
to launch a pesticide campaign. Over a million hectares of
farmlands have been treated with pesticides, but the locusts are
still multiplying.
After wiping out fields of crops and prompting fears of food
shortages (some 13 million people's incomes could be threatened
by the invasion, according to FAO), new hordes of locusts were
brought to the country's capital by a heat wave in the Central
Highlands region.
But in Antananarivo, it's the locusts who become food for some of
the city residents. People catch the low-flying bugs to eat. As
many insects are contaminated by pesticides, the situation is
quite dangerous, putting people's health at risk.