OCHA Situation Report No. 8 Mongolia - Snowstorms 14 March 2000
International Assistance for Mongolia Winter "Dzud" Disaster is crucial Situation and Damage 1. Mongolian herders are experiencing their worst winter for 30 years. This is the consequence of a "multiple dzud" which is the cumulative result of last summer's drought, of a winter which began in September and has been the coldest for 30 years, and of repetitive heavy snowstorms compounding problems posed by years of pastural degradation. 2. Around 452,000 herders in this country with a total population of 2.6 million are directly affected by the dzud. As of today the number of dead animals has reached almost 2.6 million. Week by week the situation is deteriorating. In the first week of April alone, 23,500 adult animals starved to death as they were deprived of hay and fodder. As many as 5 million head of livestock may perish in the same way before the growing season begins in June. Since animal husbandry is the sole means of subsistence for the nomadic families, the massive dying-off of livestock is causing severe socio- economic damage to the whole country. It is anticipated that widespread malnutrition and starvation will occur amongst the affected population from April/May onwards. National and International Response 3. The Government of Mongolia has made approximately USD 495,000 available for the purchase of relief items for the affected people. 4. In response to the Mongolian Government request for international assistance a "UN InterAgency Appeal for Mongolia 'Dzud 2000' - An Evolving Disaster" was issued on 3 April 2000 by the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Appeal covers relief and rehabilitation programmes designed to restock herds, improve water supply and pastureland irrigation, provide food security through nutrition and agriculture, and ensure health, education, as well as coordination and monitoring. This Appeal seeks to resolve the disastrous Mongolian predicament by funding emergency relief projects with almost USD 3 million from the international humanitarian community. 5. The UN system in Mongolia has set up a short-term Disaster Coordination and Relief Unit to assist the UNDMT in coordinating disaster information and relief assistance activities. The Unit has already delivered 300 tons of hay and 200 tons of husk to the affected areas. 6. The UN system, in cooperation with the State Emergency Commission of the Mongolian Government, is trying to speed up the delivery of relief items. UNFPA is planning to provide medical kits to assist affected herders. On 14 April the UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia chaired a UNDMT meeting to coordinate the UN agencies' disaster response activities and an NGO meeting for the exchange of information on disaster status and relief assistance. The OCHA Regional Disaster Response Advisor for Asia has assisted the UNDMT in implementing the relief projects at the initial stages of the Inter-Agency Appeal this week. 7. So far, 13 governments have contributed emergency relief funds, either through UN agencies or via their embassies. Donors have made a total of USD 1,001,974.00 emergency funds available to assist Government relief assistance efforts. More relief assistance is urgently required to reverse the escalating animal death rate and to reduce the number of affected herders. Food relief and hay, as well as medical supplies still represent the major relief needs of disaster-affected herders. 8. On 29 March the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) issued a revised appeal for CHF 4,062,000 (approx. USD 2.5 million) to assist 35,000 beneficiaries in the worst affected provinces with food (flour and millet/rice) and winter boots for12 months. This appeal is an update of the IFRC appeal issued on 22 February 2000. 9. In response to the UN Inter-Agency Appeal, donors can make their contributions directly to the Mongolian Government or to the relevant UN agency. OCHA is ready to serve as a channel for unearmarked contributions towards the activities of the Appeal, which will then be allocated by the UNDMT in accordance with agreed priorities. OCHA will provide written confirmation of their use. Funds channelled through OCHA should be transferred to account No. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: OCHA - Mongolia - Snowstorms. 10. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva, as indicated below, of bilateral relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding values by item. 11. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above mentioned Financial Tracking Website. 12. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int as well as on the UNDMT Ulaanbaatar Website at Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -