Aid group warns of crisis as Mongolia hit by harsh winter
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In this file photo taken February 7, 2001, a herder walks past a pile of dead animals in the hills of Hentii province after a severe snowstorm, also known as a Dzud, in Mongolia. Another unusually harsh winter in Mongolia that's decimating livestock and sending temperatures to minus 56 degrees Celsius (minus 70 Fahrenheit) may create a humanitarian crisis, with worse conditions still to come, aid groups warn. (AP Photo/Greg Baker, File) (The Associated Press)
An international aid agency is warning of a potential humanitarian crisis as Mongolia grapples with another unusually harsh winter that's decimating livestock and sending temperatures to minus 56 degrees Celsius (minus 70 Fahrenheit), with worse still to come.
Save the Children said Tuesday that this winter will likely see the extreme Mongolian weather phenomenon known as "dzud," which typically happens once a decade but could strike for the second consecutive year. The dzud last year killed 1 million animals, affecting the majority of Mongolians who depend on livestock for food, milk and income.
The Mongolian government said last week it met with international organizations including Save the Children, the Red Cross and the United Nations Development Programme to discuss efforts to deliver heating, fuel and medical supplies amid "worsening" conditions.