More than 500,000 Mongolians have been severely affected during one of the harshest winters in 30 years. The winter follows a summer of drought. This combination of weather extremes has resulted in the recent deaths of more than 1.6 million animals - the sole source of livelihood for the majority of the population affected by the disaster. But with the deaths of their livestock, the 1.3 million rural dwellers have become extremely vulnerable to the conditions. These conditions are likely to get worse in April and May, and economists estimate that long-term effects will continue for five years.
Spring is the harshest of all seasons in Mongolia.
It is cold, dry, and extremely windy with frequent dust storms and occasional snow falls. Pasture growth does not typically begin until late May. Snow is still covering 90 percent of the country, and animals lay scattered across the land where they have fallen from exhaustion, hunger, and cold. Herders are desperately trying to get hay supplements to their animals. It is estimated that another 2 to 3 million animals will die in the coming months. Following relief assessments, World Vision has launched an initial response.