Syria says locusts wave is not dangerous, preparations taken

Syria on Wednesday announced full readiness and preparation for facing the wave of locusts currently sweeping over some countries in the region noting that this outbreak is not dangerous.

Minister of Agriculture Adel Safar told SANA reporter that Syria was following up the subject of locusts and its movement in Africa and West Africa in coordination with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAO and there were semi weekly information in this regard.

"Since the arrival of locusts to the Lebanese coast; we declared the state of maximum emergency and put on alert investigation groups and all needed equipment to fight locusts. We are ready to interfere on time," the Minister said.

He added there were groups of monitoring stations that have been making continuous detection and are watching locusts movements along the Syrian coast and north west Syria in addition to Syria's borders with Lebanon.

Minister of Agriculture underlined that locusts that reached Lebanon and Cyprus were not mature and therefore were not dangerous noting that the wave was due to dryness conditions invading the region.

"The current wave of locusts is not risky because it is not mature; yet we are in full readiness and preparation to face it," the Minister emphasized.