Heavy snowfall and blizzards hit Mongolia starting from February 16. On February 19, the temperature sharply dropped to minus 50.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
This winter, nearly all provinces of Mongolia have faced severe weather conditions. According to the Institute of Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring of Mongolia, over 80% of the country’s territory is covered with snow. In some areas, the snow depth has exceeded 3.28 feet.
The country is experiencing the dangerous phenomenon known as “Dzud” – a natural disaster in pastoral regions where domestic livestock struggle to find food under the snow cover, leading to a significant number of animals perishing from hunger and cold. Dzud puts a tremendous strain on Mongolia’s livestock farming industry. Experts estimate that 190,000 herding households in the country are facing feed shortages and rising prices.
The situation is dire. In the Sukhbaatar province, herders have lost over 75% of their livestock. Many herders, who once had thousands of animals, now have fewer than a hundred sheep and goats.
This winter, Dzud has already resulted in the death of more than 667,000 livestock, surpassing the figures from previous years. However, the peak mortality is yet to come, expected to occur from late February to April 2024.
The Mongolian government has reported sending the first humanitarian convoy to aid the most severely affected aimags (provinces).
This winter marks a record for the highest snowfall in Mongolia in almost 50 years. By February 20, the snowfall was 1.6 times higher than the multi-year average. More than 150,000 people have been affected by extreme weather conditions, including 62,500 children.
Dangerous climate changes are rapidly escalating, impacting a vast number of people across all continents. More and more countries are falling under the destructive effects of natural disasters. To understand what is happening on the planet and how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the impending challenges, see more GLOBAL CRISIS. The Responsibility
Discussion about this post