ULAN BATOR, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 83 percent of Mongolia's territory is at some level of risk of experiencing dzud, an extreme winter weather phenomenon, this winter, the country's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said Tuesday.
Dzud is a Mongolian term for severe winter conditions that can cause large numbers of livestock to die because of frozen ground, deep snow or a lack of accessible pasture.
"A recent dzud risk assessment showed that 26 percent of the country's total territory faces a very high or high risk of experiencing dzud this winter," the ministry said in a statement.
The areas at very high or high risk include the western provinces of Bayan-Ulgii, Uvs, Zavkhan and Khovd; the southern provinces of Umnugovi and Dundgovi; and the central provinces of Arkhangai and Uvurkhangai.
Mongolia is known for its harsh continental climate, characterized by long, bitterly cold winters and short summers. ■
