SANA'A, Yemen, May 3 (UPI) -- The official in charge of combating desert locusts in Yemen says the pests have increased in five of the country's provinces.
Abdu Arrumaih, the director of the National Center for Combating Desert Locust, said the organization found the highest number of locusts in Hadramout and al-Mahrah provinces, followed by Shabwa, Mareb and al-Jawf provinces, Yemeni News Agency Saba reported Thursday.
Arrumaih said the organization's observation teams have determined the insects were locally bred and did not cross over from other locations. He said the increases are likely to continue.
The current population "will not move from the area and they will lay eggs in the desert they spread in and then will die," he said. Arrumaih said a new generation would begin to rise after about three weeks.
Ali al-Asali, a professor of agricultural economy, criticized the government for not having a plan to deal with the growing locust problem.
"If there is no emergency plan, there will be environmental, health and social disasters," he said.
