Does Mongolia Experience Natural Disasters?

Mongolia frequently suffers from a severe natural disaster known as “zud”—a catastrophic winter event that devastates livestock and rural livelihoods. Zud occurs when extreme winter conditions prevent animals from grazing due to deep snow, ice, or a combination of summer drought and harsh cold. This leads to mass livestock deaths and severe hardship for herding families.

Zud is not a single weather event but the result of seasonal extremes. In summer, drought reduces pasture growth, leaving animals undernourished before winter. Then, heavy snow, freezing rain, or ice crusts block access to grass. Unusually low temperatures and strong winds add further stress on animals. Traditionally, zuds occurred once every 8–10 years. However, due to climate change, overgrazing, and desertification, zuds now happen more frequently and with greater severity in many regions of the country.

The zud of 2023–2024 was one of the most severe in recent memory. Over 90 percent of Mongolia’s territory experienced zud conditions, including 20 out of 21 provinces. Temperatures dropped to between -40°C and -50°C during the coldest months. In many areas, snow reached over 50 cm deep, and ice layers made grazing impossible. By April 2024, more than 5.2 million livestock had died, and the toll was still rising. Around 250,000 herder households were directly affected, with many losing over half of their animals.

This disaster followed a dry summer in 2023, which left pastures in poor condition. The early onset of snow in October, combined with multiple blizzards and freezing rain, created extreme conditions that herders could not prepare for. Roads were blocked in many regions, delaying deliveries of hay, fuel, and aid supplies.

The Mongolian government, in cooperation with international agencies such as the Red Cross, UNDP, and the World Food Programme, launched large-scale humanitarian efforts. These included emergency deliveries of hay, animal feed, food packages, fuel, and veterinary services. Digital tools like eBarimt and eGazar helped coordinate aid and transfer funds to isolated herder families.

The consequences extended beyond the loss of livestock. Many herders faced economic collapse, children dropped out of school, and cases of malnutrition rose in rural areas. Thousands of affected families migrated to Ulaanbaatar, adding to the city’s already overburdened ger districts. These informal settlements often lack proper heating, sanitation, and infrastructure.

Experts warn that zuds will likely become even more frequent and destructive unless stronger measures are taken. Climate adaptation, better pasture management, rotational grazing, early warning systems, and sustainable herding practices are urgently needed to protect Mongolia’s rural population and traditional way of life.

In result, thousands of shepherds left the steppe for the ger quarter, building houses – small fenced ger – and built gers and tin-covered brick houses in capital city Ulaanbaatar. Week after week the informal settlement grows. An estimated 40,000 people arrive every year.