Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Yemen + 16 more

Desert Locust Bulletin 424 (January 2014) [EN/AR]

Attachments

General Situation during January 2014
Forecast until mid-March 2014

The Desert Locust situation remained serious along both sides of the Red Sea during January where breeding continued in Eritrea, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and, to a lesser extent, in Sudan, causing hopper bands and swarms to form. Although control operations continued in all countries, more hopper bands and swarms are likely to form during February and March. There is a risk that groups and small swarms could move into spring breeding areas of the interior of Saudi Arabia. A few groups and small swarms invaded Djibouti from northwest Somalia, and may move into Ethiopia. Elsewhere, small infestations were treated in Mauritania, Niger and Algeria. During the forecast period, small-scale breeding may occur in northwest and northern Mauritania, and scattered adults are likely to appear in the spring breeding areas of Northwest Africa and South-West Asia.

Western Region. The situation remained calm during January. Limited control operations were carried out in northwest Mauritania against an immature swarm and an immature adult group early in the month, and against adult groups in the Ténéré Desert in Niger. In Northwest Africa, a group of mature adults was treated in irrigated crops in the central Sahara in Algeria. During the forecast period, low numbers of adults will persist and may breed on a small scale in northwest and northern Mauritania and in adjacent areas of Western Sahara. From March onwards, low numbers of adults are likely to appear in the spring breeding areas south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria as well as in southwest Libya and breed on a small scale occur once temperatures increase and rains fall.

Central Region. Locust infestations continued to increase in January for the third consecutive month along both sides of the Red Sea. The situation was most serious in Eritrea and Yemen where another generation of breeding occurred, causing more hopper bands to form as well as swarms in Eritrea. Both countries were facing pesticide shortages. Aerial and ground control operations continued against hopper bands and swarms in Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Some of the swarms were laying eggs. During the forecast period, more hopper bands and swarms could form, mainly in Eritrea and Yemen but also in parts of Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Adult groups and a few small swarms could move into the spring breeding areas of the interior of Saudi Arabia. In the Horn of Africa, small adult groups and swarms from adjacent areas of northwest Somalia invaded Djibouti and dispersed throughout the country. There is a risk that groups and a few small swarms could move to eastern Ethiopia.

Eastern Region. No locusts were reported and the situation remained calm in January. During the forecast period, low numbers of adults are likely to appear in coastal areas of southeast Iran and southwest Pakistan and breed on a small scale in areas of recent rainfall.