General Situation during March 2016
Forecast until mid-May 2016
A potentially dangerous situation developed during March in Yemen where hopper bands and at least one swarm formed in areas that received heavy rains last November. As survey and control operations are limited by insecurity, locust numbers are expected to increase further, giving rise to more adult groups and swarms that are likely to move along the coast and into the interior, possibly reaching spring breeding areas in central Saudi Arabia, northern Oman and southeast Iran. These countries should take the necessary precautionary measures. In Northwest Africa, hundreds of small hopper bands formed in the southern part of the Western Sahara in southern Morocco and hopper groups formed in adjacent areas of northern Mauritania. Control operations were carried out in both areas. Adult groups and perhaps a few small swarms could form and move to spring breeding areas south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria. Strict vigilance is required in all areas.