UK & World News
- 4 March 2013, 16:52
Israel Locust Alert: 'Great Damage' In Egypt
An enormous swarm of locusts has descended on Egypt, with authorities in Israel worried they could spread across the border.
Millions of insects have already devastated agricultural land near the Egyptian capital Cairo by stripping crops.
Fears of a similar wave of destruction in Israel prompted the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to set up an emergency hotline.
It asked people to be vigilant in reporting sightings in order to prevent an outbreak.
The Times of Israel said an estimated 30 million locusts had descended on Giza, "causing great damage".
It quoted Salah Abad Almoman, the Egyptian agricultural minister, as saying the armed forces had been drafted in to battle the bugs.
Another newspaper, Egypt Independent, said up to 95% of the insects had been eradicated.
The locust alert comes ahead of the Passover festival, which recounts the biblical story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt.
According to the Bible, a plague of locusts was one of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians for enslaving and abusing ancient Hebrews.
Update:
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what do you think?
Chris Price
According to the Bible, a plague of locusts was one of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians for enslaving and abusing ancient Hebrews." And according to scientists the "ten plagues" came about from one natural event. A drought. This caused red algae blooms starving the oxygen out of the river near the city of pi-ramses ,which had a knock on effect over a series of months or years. Which eventually lead to the city being abandoned. The lower oxygen levels killed all the fish, drove the frogs onto the land. The drought killed the crops and what remained were destroyed by locusts that were searching for food. The dead crops meant that the cattle died and as egypt is a hot country the dead cattle attracted flies. Flies carry many nasty diseases. The higher than normal levels of flies that had been messing around in all that filth that landed on any food that was stored would pass on the bacteria . And as it was custom at the time to give the males of the house, the first and largest share of any food. They would of ingested all that bacteria killing off loads of first born sons of egypt. Add to that a solar eclipse(and they happen somewhere on earth every 18months) you can bet that the ancient egyptians were totaly pooping themselves and they decided that the city of pi-ramses was a silly place and left.
Hector Gomez
Anyone for cricket
stevie may
Other nations eat fried locust as a staple diet. Can't they just eat them all? Check them for horsemeat first
ali baba
3:33pm on 4/3/2013
Best warfare possible Mother nature
Chris Price
6:03pm on 4/3/2013
A war we could not win
stevie may
7:05pm on 4/3/2013
When Mother Nature is in a spitefull and cruel mood. . . Run!