Swarms of locusts invade Saudi capital Riyadh

Massive swards of locusts invaded the Saudi capital Riyadh, prompting houses and companies to shut their doors and windows and halting traffic in many parts.

Authorities said they were mobilizing their resources to combat the invasion which started on Thursday.

The Arabic language daily Sabq, which carried a brief U-Tube film of the insects, said the locusts flew into the capital from the western part of the Gulf Kingdom, which has been a scene of locust attack over the past months.

Locusts are a popular dish in Saudi Arabia, where a 10-kg bag of live locusts could be sold for Dh100.