Swarms of devastating locusts, like those recorded in the Bible, have embarked on a path of destruction across East Africa and as far east as India – prompting fears millions of people could be left without food. According to the UN, the outbreak of crop eating locusts over recent months has been the biggest recorded in Ethiopia and Somalia for 25 years and Kenya for 70 years.

Experts fear the upcoming monsoon season will provide the ideal breeding ground for a second wave of locusts to strike essential vegetation across the continent.

According to the National Geographic, a desert locust swarm can contain anything between 40-80 million pests – which can travel up to 81 miles.

The species of short-horned grasshoppers can eat its entire body weight in a day – as a result such a swarm would decimate 423 million pounds of crops.

According to UN estimates a swarm of 40 million locusts is capable of digesting the same amount of food in a day as three million people.

Keith Cressman, senior locust forecaster at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, warned a potential disaster would hit East Africa hardest as he warned “20 million people are already considered acutely food insecure”.

He wrote in the Nikkei Asian Review: “The scale of the upsurge is difficult to imagine.

“Thousands of hectares of pastures and crops are being wiped out in communities where farmers need every gram of food to feed themselves and their families.

“Most of the countries hardest hit are those where millions of people are already vulnerable or in serious humanitarian need as they endure the impact of violence, drought and floods.

“In East Africa the situation is particularly alarming where nearly 20 million people are already considered acutely food insecure.”

Mr Cressman added it was vital authorities act now before the upcoming rainy season or risk a “full-blown catastrophe”.

Mr Cressman also warned the current swarm of locusts could be 400-times bigger in the peak season.

READ MORE: Locust plague set to descend on Middle East

The Food and Agriculture Organisation has made significant progress in the battle against the pests and more than $100million has been raised to help Government’s control the outbreak.

The organisation is hoping to raise a further $50million in order to supply vital resources.

The UN has already deployed 15 locust experts and other personnel to support Government’s with control activities, technical advice, ground and aerial equipment.