Mecca Gets Plagued by Massive Swarm of Locusts

Located in Saudi Arabia, the Mecca is considered as Islam’s holiest site. While the place draws millions of Muslims from different corners of the globe each year, they had very unlikely visitors this time around.

As recent reports tell us, a massive swarm of locusts plagued the Great Mosque to the point that officials had to take action and immediately organize a large-scale operation. Authorities assembled 22 teams with 138 members each to deal with the problem. 111 pieces of equipment were used to decontaminate the area.

الصراصير الموسمية المهاجرة في الحرم و بعض المناطق في مكة
في انتظار تحاليل الإخونج و المواد الإعلامية و البرامج المباشرة في #الخنزيرة و #خلايا_عزمي …. pic.twitter.com/qZMrWd6NkQ

— رضا كربوسي (@r_kerbouci) January 8, 2019

“Specialized teams have been directed to work in the fight to eliminate these insects,” a statement tells us.

The workers, in face masks and green suits, sprayed insecticide around the area, focusing on locust breeding sites such as those near open water drains. Photos and videos posted on Twitter show us how severe the infestation was and according to observers, the insects’ numbers reached thousands!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُّفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِين
#مكة_المكرمة pic.twitter.com/vK7X4gmpJz

— Ali tawil 🇱🇧 (@tawil__ali) January 8, 2019

They had insects scattered all over the area with some spotted on Mecca’s walls and others flying over people’s heads – and clinging to their clothes.

(2️⃣)
بــ #الصور | فرق الإصحاح البيئي التابعة لــ #امانة_العاصمة_المقدسة تعمل على رش حشرة الجنادب السوداء في مناهل و غرف تفتيش الصرف الصحي ودورات المياه المحيطة بساحات المسجد الحرام •#مكة_المكرمة #العاصمة_المقدسة pic.twitter.com/S6hoR57bWM

— أمانة العاصمة المقدسة (@holymakkah) January 7, 2019

Cleaners eventually identified the bugs as “black grasshoppers” and likewise explained the plague was caused by their migration.

#السعودية :
حشرات طائرة تهاجم الحرم في #مكة_المكرمة بكثافة كبيرة في ظاهرة لا تخفى دلالتها أو رمزيتها ! اللهم طهر بيتك للطائفين والعاكفين، واجعله ولايته فيمن خافك واتقاك، وابتغى رضاك. pic.twitter.com/OZvNjUhq3F

— د. محمد الصغير (@drassagheer) January 7, 2019

Later on, local officials issued an official statement that read:

“We have harnessed all efforts available to speed up the eradication of the insects in the interest of the safety and comfort of guests to God’s house.”

The weird event has since attracted mixed reactions from netizens everywhere, with some describing the plague as one of “biblical proportions.” Authorities, however, continue to point out it all has to do with the insects’ migration and that they are doing their best to contain the situation and prevent further problems.

Well what are your thoughts about this, folks? Is this a sign of the times or merely a strange coincidence? Tell us about it in the comment section!