Israel, still awaiting relief from a heat wave that did at least $1.5 million in crop damage, faced a possible invasion by locusts Tuesday.
Swarms of the grasshopper-like insects were reported moving northward from Sinai toward the Negev, borne on the Sharav, the same dry desert wind that has fanned grass and brush fires since the heat wave began Sunday.
Experts said the locusts number in the billions and, since they eat every bit of greenery in their path, could be a major disaster.
Israel was alerted by the International Locust Report Center in Rome, which coordinates information from Africa, Asia and Europe. It also passes on locust reports from Israel’s Arab neighbors, which, except for Egypt, do not communicate directly with Jerusalem.
Aircraft and helicopters of the Chim-Avir crop-dusting company were standing by Tuesday morning, ready to launch a chemical attack on the locusts. The Agriculture Ministry set up a locust watch center, but as of noon Tuesday, the insects had not been seen in Israel.
By afternoon however, the winds shifted. The southerly Sharav was replaced by northwesterly winds and the locust watch was downgraded to one duty officer.
The threat may only have been postponed. Locusts, which normally travel only a few miles a day, can cover hundreds of miles on the back of strong winds.
The meteorological service said Tuesday that while the Sharav has tapered off, it would return by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, Israeli farmers were assessing the damage done by the heat wave and its attendant fires. More than 1,500 acres of orchards, vegetable fields and pastures were destroyed.
Thousands of chickens and turkeys died of the heat. Fish died in breeding ponds from the lack of oxygen in the sun-heated waters.
Jewish National Fund foresters reported that trees planted 20 and 30 years ago and tended to full growth died in a matter of hours from the heat.
The heat wave touched off a labor dispute in a crucial area. Israel’s firefighters, who have been battling crop and brush fires all over the country, called a halt Tuesday.
They announced that hereafter they will only respond to alarms where lives are in danger. The firefighters are protesting failure to implement wage agreements reached several months ago.
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