Egypt locusts put neighboring Israel on high alert
Israel's Agriculture Ministry set up an emergency hotline Monday and is asking Israelis to be vigilant in reporting locust sightings to prevent an outbreak.
Swarms of locusts obscure the Giza pyramids near Cairo, in 2004. Swarms of pink locusts swept through Cairo on Wednesday that recalled the plague of biblical Egypt, flying high above tall towers and scaring pedestrians who stamped on them or ran for cover.
Aladin Abdel Naby/Reuters
JERUSALEM
Israel is on a聽locust聽alert as聽swarms聽of the destructive bugs descend on neighboring聽Egyptahead of the Passover holiday.
Israel's Agriculture Ministry set up an emergency hotline Monday and is asking Israelis to be vigilant in reporting聽locust聽sightings to prevent an outbreak.
Locusts聽have a devastating effect on agriculture by quickly stripping crops.
Swarms聽of聽locusts聽have descended on聽Egypt, raising fears they could spread to Israel.
The聽locust聽alert comes ahead of the Passover festival, which recounts the biblical story of the Jewish exodus from聽Egypt. According to the Bible, a plague of聽locusts聽was one of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians for enslaving and abusing ancient Hebrews.