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Kenya hit by worst locust plague in 70 years

Worst Locust Outbreak in 25 Years Hits Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya

A massive locust infestation has migrated from Somalia and Ethiopia into Kenya, reports AP News. The insects are devouring crops in a country already afflicted by widespread hunger. The United Nations warns that coming rains could increase the locust populations by a factor of 500. The most effective way to stave of the infestation is through aerial pesticide spraying, which comes with a $70 million price. “Even a small swarm of the insects can consume enough food for 35,000 people in a single day, said Jens Laerke of the U.N. humanitarian office in Geneva,” says the article.

(Image: Niv Singer, CC-BY)

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