Up to -30 degrees, sometimes worse.
In Mongolia, 4.7 million animals have died in recent months.
The reason: the “dzud”, a meteorological phenomenon which causes snow and periods of intense cold, which follow episodes of prolonged drought.
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These two climatic conditions combined prevent grass from growing, so livestock can no longer feed and die.
A situation all the more dangerous given that, in the country, some 300,000 nomads raise their animals for food.
The decimation of their herds therefore also threatens their lives.
Although this phenomenon is not new in Mongolia, it is becoming more and more frequent due to climate change.
It has been two winters in a row that the “dzud” has hit the country, the 6th in 10 according to Alexander Matheou, director of the IFRC for Asia Pacific (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) , interviewed by CNN.
And, despite the arrival of spring, the ground is still covered in snow and the grass remains inaccessible.
This is why the Red Cross is sounding the alarm.
According to their figures, 2,257 families have lost 70% of their herds since November.
7,000 families lack food, and snowstorms have covered more than 1,000 homes.
The Mongolian Red Cross therefore launched an appeal to raise 4.5 million Swiss francs to help 10,000 affected families.