The prolonged extreme winter conditions are known in Mongolia as a “Dzud”, or the “white death”. Dzuds are characterized by intense winter weather, which bring strong winds, freezing temperatures, and heavy snow, which effectively block livestock from grazing, ultimately resulting in their death from the cold, exhaustion, and/or starvation.
At the request of government officials, ADRA is responding to the needs of affected families in the northwest province of Zavkhan, which is one of the provinces most severely affected by this disaster
“The Mongolian people are used to cold weather, but this is the worst dzud to hit Mongolia in a decade,” said Chris Jensen, country director for ADRA Mongolia. “Many families depend on their animals for their livelihood. The social and economic impact from this dzud will be felt for years to come.”
To aid families struggling with this disaster, ADRA distributed emergency food supplies to feed nearly 2,000 individuals, with each family receiving basic food items such as rice, flour, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt. The provided food packets are intended to last each family for approximately one week.
The response effort is implemented by ADRA Mongolia in collaboration with local government officials, and is funded by ADRA International, the ADRA Asia regional office, located in Bangkok, Thailand, and ADRA Mongolia.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), total economic losses due to this disaster were reported to be as high as $62 million in early February. Livestock herding makes up approximately one third of employment in Mongolia, according to reports from the World Bank.
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