Bee Truck Overturns in U.S., Emergency Warning Issued, Area Sealed Off
Washington (The Uttam Hindu): An unusual incident took place in Washington state of America, when a truck loaded with millions of bees overturned. After this accident, a large number of bees came out of the truck, due to which the local authorities had to issue a warning for the people. Officials have advised the residents to stay away from the swarm of bees. Emergency workers did not have any special way to control the bees, due to which skilled beekeepers helped the officials. The incident happened on Friday.
The crashed truck was carrying about 70,000 pounds (31,750 kilograms) of beehives containing honeybees. The accident happened near the Canadian border, where the truck driver lost control and the vehicle overturned. Immediately after the incident, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said that their priority was to save as many bees as possible. Officials said that the accident site would remain closed until the rescue operation was completed.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office urged people to avoid the crash site, as there was a possibility of bees escaping and swarming. Initial information suggested that about 250 million bees were flying in the air. However, a beekeeper who was helping to return the bees to the hives later said that the number of bees that came out of the truck was about 14 million, which is much less than the initial estimate.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said their goal was to give the bees time and opportunity to return to their hives so they could find their queen bee. Officials hope the bees will return to their hives in the next 24-48 hours. In information posted on social media later Friday, police thanked more than two dozen beekeepers for helping with the rescue.
“Most of the bees will have returned to their hives by morning,” the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook. A video shared by police shows a large number of bees swarming around the overturned truck. Some beekeepers in the US raise bees solely for honey production, while other beekeepers rent their hives to farmers who need insects to pollinate their crops.