Locusts Invade Egypt: Modern Version of Biblical Plague?
Locusts have swarmed Egypt, leaving devastation across the country. According to reports, some 30 million individual locusts have invaded the area and taken over the country's farms, causing increased fears of starvation and economic destruction.
"Against our predictions, a swarm of locusts has reached the region south of Cairo … and is causing great damage to agriculture in the Giza area. Egyptian armed forces and the border guards are attempting to fight the swarm with the means at their disposal," Egyptian minister of agriculture Dr. Salah Abd Al Mamon told the Alwatan News.
"I ask the families living in the locust-plagued areas not to burn tires. This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large scale fires that would cost in lives," Dr. Al Mamon warned.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The country is preparing to spray the fields with pesticides in order to discourage the locusts from eating the crops while simultaneously killing the pests. New, improved technologies may help deter the intruders from completely destroying the country's fields.
Egypt is particularly vulnerable to locusts at this time of year, but Dr. Al Mamon has predicted that strong winds will soon carry the locusts away to the Red Sea and Saudi Arabia. In the meantime, residents are asked to simply let the pests be while specific teams trained to deal with the locusts do their work.
One can't help but make a comparison to the biblical plague of locusts that was cast on the country when the Pharaoh refused to set the Hebrew people free and allow them to leave with Moses. According to the Bible, Moses "stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night" (Exodus 10:13).
"By morning, the wind had brought the locusts; they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again" (Ex. 10:13-14).
The country of Israel is currently preparing for an influx of locusts should the winds drop them in their own country, according to Haaretz Daily News.
