15 June

Swarms of locusts have done extensive damage to crops in Pakistan, where the government has mobilized the military to help exterminate the insects.

Since last month, desert locusts have been devouring wheat, cotton, and other farm produce, mainly in the southwestern province of Baluchistan.

Footage from the affected areas shows the mass of locusts causing poor visibility, and hindering crop harvests.

This is the first large-scale locust swarm in Pakistan since the 1990s. The government estimates damage nationwide will total about 5.1 billion dollars.

Authorities fear the devastation could have a serious impact on the country's food security.

Insecticides are being sprayed from the ground and air, but the massive amount of the insects over such a wide area makes their extermination difficult. Farmers are calling for more drastic measures to fight off the infestation.

The plague of desert locusts has already devastated wide swaths of eastern Africa, and threatens regions across southern Asia.

NHK