South China's island province of Hainan is facing the plague of locusts this
year, a year after suffering its worst locust plague in two
decades, the provincial department of agriculture said on
Wednesday.
Monitors have reported nearly 200,000 mu (13,300 hectares) with
between 20 and 50 locusts per mu (667 square meters), according to
the provincial station of plant protection and testing.
The provincial government launched preventative measures in
April, including furrowing to kill locust eggs, an official
said.
Sixteen counties and cities, covering an area of 217,225
hectares, were affected by the plague last year.
The locust density in three most affected counties last year
reached 500 per square meter.
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2006)
