An infestation of thousands of rodents has seized residents of the state of New South Wales, Australia.
Rural communities in the Australian state of New South Wales suffer the worst rodent infestation in decades, with thousands of rats invading homes and farms. The problem arose amid high cereal harvest rates, Reuters reported.
Residents have posted videos and images on social networks that reveal the scale of the crisis caused by mice infestation, which have destroyed crops and stored hay. The pest crisis is exacerbated by horrendous smell, spread both by the live rodents and by their decaying carcasses.
In what some locals are calling the worst plague of its kind in decades, mice have been swarming parts of New South Wales, Australia. https://t.co/eETGI2zK9s pic.twitter.com/D2H2MaBUAq
— CBC News (@CBCNews) March 19, 2021
Meanwhile, some people had to be taken to the local hospitals after being bitten by mice.
Kaza from Dubbo says she has 14 traps at home but that still isn’t enough to curb the mouse infestation. She went to buy more but the store are all sold out. #mouseplague @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/EawXoD5Zrg
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) March 19, 2021
Australian farmers are urging state officials to take emergency measures to deal with the plague, as mass bait programs have had little success. Thus, James Jackson, president of the New South Wales Farmers, the local farmers association, have been asking permission to use a deadly rodenticide known as zinc phosphide.
In addition, farmers seek financial support to overcome the costly consequences of infestation. Adam Marshall, the state’s agriculture minister, said the most effective methods of containing the plague are not yet known.
🇦🇺En #Australie, des régions entières de l'est du pays luttent contre une invasion de souris qui ravagent les cultures et envahissent les habitations ! Les rongeurs grouillent dans les maisons, les granges, les champs, … #mouseplague #Australia pic.twitter.com/XzUEd92snq
— PacifiqueInfo (@PacifiqueInfo) March 19, 2021
