Fears of locust swarms return in East Africa

A UN agency has warned of fresh waves of desert locust swarms in the Horn of Africa region after Cyclone Gati arrived in Somalia.

The heavy rainfall is expected to allow widespread breeding.

The swarms are expected to move south in Somalia and Ethiopia, reaching northern Kenya, from the second week of December, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.

It warned that the scale of the migration could be substantial.

Earlier in the year, billions of the insects destroyed crops across the region – with the UN warning a second generation would be even more destructive.

It was the worst invasion of locusts for more than 70 years.

This article was originally published by BBC News. [Photo: Reuters]