By Xinhua,
Ulan Bator : The death toll from a heavy snowstorm that swept across seven provinces in Mongolia since last Monday rose to 52, authorities said Monday.
Fourteen children were among the dead and more than 130 yurts were blown down, said the Mongolian General Authority for Emergency Management (GAEM).
It added that more than 200,000 livestock were frozen to death and another 200,000 went astray in the snowstorm. The snowstorm has also caused damage to power supply and communication systems in the affected areas.
Greater efforts are being made to restore power supply and communication, and reconstruction is underway after rescue and relief efforts were completed, GAEM said.
As a country that depends heavily on livestock farming, some 40percent of Mongolia’s population live in pasture areas. Snowstorms are frequent in spring in the country.