South China's island province of Hainan is facing the plague of locusts this year, a year after suffering its worst locust plague in two decades, the provincial department of agriculture said on Wednesday.

Monitors have reported nearly 200,000 mu (13,300 hectares) with between 20 and 50 locusts per mu (667 square meters), according to the provincial station of plant protection and testing.

The provincial government launched preventative measures in April, including furrowing to kill locust eggs, an official said.

Sixteen counties and cities, covering an area of 217,225 hectares, were affected by the plague last year.

The locust density in three most affected counties last year reached 500 per square meter.

(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2006)