Ethiopia deploys airplanes, helicopters to fight locust invasion

The Ethiopian government has deployed airplanes and helicopters in its fight against a locust invasion, an Ethiopian official said on Saturday.

Abera Lemma, Public Relations Director at Ethiopia Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), said the aircrafts are being used to assess the extent of locust invasion as well as to spray chemicals on locust affected areas.

Lemma said the aircrafts are being used in areas located in Ethiopia’s Southern, Oromia and Somali regions hit hardest by the locust invasion, reported state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation.

Lemma further said there are plans to initiate a community-led campaign to fight the locust invasion which crossed to Ethiopia from neighboring Somalia.

MoA has dispatched dozens of experts to help with the efforts to battle the locust invasion which is threatening tens of hectares of agricultural lands.