Residents at ‘war’ with African armyworms
NGINAMADVOLO – In a community still grappling with the aftermath of a devastating storm, the residents of Ngimadvolo, near Pigg’s Peak, are facing another potential threat.
This is the sudden appearance of strange worms.
The occurrence has left the community in a state of shock and concern, particularly regarding the implications for their already storm-ravaged crops.
The worms, approximately one to 1.5 centimetres in length and of a very dark colour, were discovered in large numbers last Tuesday morning. They are as thin as a match stick, crawling along paths and clinging to grass and nearby crops.
Their sudden appearance and unfamiliarity has sparked alarm among the residents who want to know what they are and what type of damage they could cause to the environment.
Disticnt
Due to their lack of colour, one cannot easily miss them as they give the vegetation or crop a distinct appearance.
One senior resident, who identified himself as Mavuso expressed shock at encountering these strange worms. “It was like a black stream flowing when I first saw them in the morning,” he said.
He said it was the first time seeing the worms. Just like him, he said many members of his community were bewildered at the sight of the worms.
Like many in Ngimadvolo, Mavuso wants to understand what type of worms they are dealing with, particularly due to concerns about potential harm to their crops. “We are now facing the dual challenge of recovering from the storm’s aftermath and dealing with the mysterious worm infestation,” said another resident who added that the future was now uncertain.
Further, he said the appearance of these unfamiliar creatures carried ominous undertones for some of the community’s elder residents. Mavuso said the appearance of the worms was a harbinger of impending hunger, often signifying a poor harvest in the offing, particularly due to a recent storm. This has compounded the residents’ concerns, who are already dealing with the impact of a brutal storm that swept through the area a week ago.
Meanwhile, the storm wreaked havoc in Ngimadvolo and the surrounding areas, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Crops, including maize, a staple food source, were severely damaged, and many houses suffered extensive destruction.
Blow
For many residents who had planted maize, the storm was a significant blow, with many admitting that they had written off this year’s crops, due to the damage.
The damage was also compiled by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) as well as Baphalali Red Cross, to assess how the affected could be assisted.
“It was like a black stream flowing when I first saw them in the morning.”