Swarms expected to form in Yemen may threaten Indo-Pakistan
The Desert Locust situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate as more hopper groups and bands formed in the interior as well as on the Aden coast during May. Insecurity and remoteness are hampering current survey and control efforts. Consequently, swarms will start to form in the coming days.
If vegetation remains green, the swarms are expected to remain in the interior between Marib and Thamud where they will mature with the possibility of another generation of egg-laying by mid-July. On the other hand, if vegetation dries out, then the swarms are likely to move south to the Gulf of Aden where strong south-westerly monsoon winds would carry them through coastal areas of Oman and across the Arabian Sea to the Indo-Pakistan summer breeding area. Their arrival would nearly coincide with that of the monsoon rains in Rajasthan and adjacent areas of Pakistan. Swarm movement from the Yemen interior to Saudi Arabia is not very likely.
All efforts are required to increase survey and control operations in Yemen wherever possible and to remain vigilant in other countries. FAO will continue to monitor the developing situation closely and provide timely early warning.
Elsewhere, the Desert Locust situation is generally calm. Control operations continue against adult groups in the southern part of the Western Sahara in southern Morocco and adjacent areas of northern Mauritania. A limited number of groups are likely to reach the summer breeding areas in southern Mauritania and lay eggs with the onset of the seasonal rains. Control operations were carried out during May against locally-bred adult groups in central Algeria.