Mongolia is freezing through its harshest winter in half a century with extreme conditions killing more than 4.7 million animals and threatening the livelihoods and food supply of thousands of people, the International Federation of the Red Cross has warned.
The severe conditions, known as dzud, are characterized by plunging temperatures and deep snow and ice that blanket grazing areas and cut off access to food for livestock.
About 300,000 people in Mongolia are traditional nomadic herders and depend on their cattle, goats and horses for food and to sell at market.
Since November, at least 2,250 herder families have lost more than 70% of their livestock, according to the IFRC. More than 7,000 families now lack access to adequate food, it added.
The dzud has affected three-quarters of the country but conditions are expected to worsen as winter continues.
Now it’s spring, but the winter is dragging on in Mongolia, there’s still snow on the ground, and the livestock are still dying.
The Mongolian government declared a state of heightened readiness last month that would last until May 15
