A big swarm of desert locusts on Saturday entered Amudat Town Council throwing residents into panic.
According to the Amudat Senior District Agricultural Officer, Mr John Lodungokol, the locusts came from West Pokot in Kenya.
“This is the big swarm that we have received today and they look young not yet yellow like the last locusts that entered the district three months ago,” he told journalists.
The agricultural officer said he had already informed the Mnistry of Agriculture and he was writing a report.
The Amudat district chairman, Mr Francis Kiyonga, said the locusts are young ones that seem to have just hatched.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 3rd Division spokesperson, Maj John Mugisa, said the force has already informed and plans were underway to spray the locusts.
“A team of UPDF soldiers is setting to go to Amudat to deal with the locusts.”
Six weeks ago, desert locusts invaded Uganda from Kenya through Amudat district.
Twenty-four districts in six sub-regions including Acholi, Karamoja, Lango, Sebei, Teso and Bugisu have experienced locust invasion.
However, the locusts have done minimal damage to crops and other green vegetation. But experts say imminent damage is done by nymphs and young locusts that hatch.
