DUBAI: Dubai’s municipality has told residents there is no cause for concern after recent sightings of swarms of locust in the city – adding that the situation is now under control.
A number of videos were posted on social media that appeared to show swarms of the large insects flying over parts of Dubai.
Locusts swarm spotted in #Dubai pic.twitter.com/JgMxH0IlDf
— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) May 25, 2020
The swarms appeared to coincide with storms that saw high winds and torrential rain hit parts of Dubai.
The local authority said it was the high winds that carried the bugs with them into some areas.
Well Locust Swarms have now hit Dubai Marina - the end is nigh #Dubai #dubaimarina #LocustInvasion pic.twitter.com/wM62JF6X6c
— Moist Macro (@moist_macro) May 24, 2020
“Pest control teams are intensifying their efforts to eliminate them permanently… The situation is under control and there’s no need to worry,” the municipality told Arabic daily Emarat Al-Youm.
There have been swarms of locust spotted across the Gulf region in recent months.
In April, Al-Ain municipality posted a video on their efforts to fight off swarms of locust, while Abu Dhabi also increased efforts to fight off the bug on Dalma island.
#بلدية_العين تواصل حملة مكافحة أسراب الجراد عبر فرق متخصصة خلال فترتين صباحية و مسائية في مناطق مختلفة من وسط المدينة و القطاع الجنوبي pic.twitter.com/QgmulY5KQ6
— بلدية مدينة العين (@alainmun) April 28, 2020
The locust – related to the grasshopper – form enormous swarms which spread and feed on crops, which can cause significant damage to agricultural crops.
