Situation threatening along the Red Sea coast and in Mauritania
The Desert Locust situation worsened during November along both sides of the Red Sea and in northwest Mauritania.
Locusts continue to gregarize and form hopper bands and groups of hoppers and adults in Mauritania, Yemen, and Sudan. A few swarms have formed in Sudan and Yemen. An outbreak developed in Eritrea during November as a result of good rains in August and October, followed by undetected breeding.
Although control operations intensified in all countries, including aerial control operations in Eritrea, a second generation of breeding in December and January will cause locust infestations to increase further and more hopper bands and small swarms will form along both sides of the Red Sea and, to a lesser extent, in northwest Mauritania.
Winter breeding may also occur in northwest Somalia where a tropical cyclone brought heavy rains and flooding in November.
All efforts are required to reduce locust numbers and the potential threat to crops in the affected countries.
