Harsh Winter Claims 7,500 Head Of Livestock In Mongolia

Ulan Bator: Approximately 7,500 livestock have perished in Mongolia so far this winter due to extreme cold weather, locally known as "dzud," local media reported on Saturday, citing the State Emergency Commission (SEC).

"Nearly 7,500 head of livestock have so far perished due to the dzud across the country," the SEC said in a statement.

Dzud is a Mongolian term referring to a severe winter in which large numbers of livestock perish because the ground is frozen or covered in snow, preventing them from grazing.

At least 30 soums (administrative subdivisions) in 10 provinces are currently experiencing the dzud, while 55 soums in 16 provinces are facing near-dzud conditions, according to the emergency agency.

As of the end of January, nearly 80 percent of Mongolia's territory was covered in snow, with depths reaching up to 60 cm, the National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring has reported.

Mongolia, one of the world's last remaining nomadic nations, is known for its harsh winters, which are heavily influenced by the Siberian high-pressure system.

Last winter, the Asian country experienced its heaviest snowfall in five decades, leading to a severe dzud that resulted in the loss of millions of livestock.

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