In a message dated 4/30/00 2:36:00 PM Central Daylight Time, AOL News writes: << Subj: Red Cross: Mongolia Faces Disaster Date: 4/30/00 2:36:00 PM Central Daylight Time From: AOL News BCC: Ahab42 Red Cross: Mongolia Faces Disaster .c The Associated Press BEIJING (AP) - Mongolians are depleting critical food stocks months before the summer harvest as more of their herds, weakened by drought and snowstorms, die off, the Red Cross warned. Already more than 2.2 million cows, horses, camels, sheep and other livestock have died since the severe and early storms began last year, the Red Cross reported Saturday. In a month's time, at the start of the summer growing season, the number of dead animals will more than double to 5 million, it said. Rural Mongolians depend on their herds for food and wool, and use the animals to sell or barter for needed goods. The devastation of the herds has kept families from buying extra food in the lean months leading up to the harvest at summer's end. A quarter of Mongolia's 2.7 million people are now facing a period of uncertainty over food supplies, the aid group said in a statement. Staff who visited one badly affected area were told that herders had already consumed their summer supplies of dried meat. In the worst hit areas, the group said, government statistics show more than three-quarters of the herds have died. A Red Cross relief effort has delivered 215 tons of wheat, rice and millet to 2,600 households and distributed 600 pairs of boots. By the end of May, it hopes to have distributed food to 6,300 households, or 35,000 people. Mongolia's latest troubles began last summer with drought and a rodent infestation that reduced ground fodder for animals. The worst winter snowstorms in 30 years then covered over what little the herds had for forage. Animal carcasses now litter the bleak Mongolian steppe. Mongolian government agencies have begun a program to remove the carcasses and inform people on how to prevent an outbreak of diseases from the rotting corpses, the Red Cross said. Other government programs will try to kill rodents and provide animals to families which have lost entire herds. AP-NY-04-30-00 1535EDT Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. Announcement: America Online has added Reuters newswires to News Profiles. To add Reuters articles to your daily news delivery, go to KW: <A HREF="aol://5862:146">News Profiles</A> and click on "Modify Your News Profiles." Then click "Edit" and add Reuters from the list on the left. To edit your profile, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsPro files</A>. For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>. >>
Red Cross: Mongolia Faces Disaster .c The Associated Press BEIJING (AP) - Mongolians are depleting critical food stocks months before the summer harvest as more of their herds, weakened by drought and snowstorms, die off, the Red Cross warned. Already more than 2.2 million cows, horses, camels, sheep and other livestock have died since the severe and early storms began last year, the Red Cross reported Saturday. In a month's time, at the start of the summer growing season, the number of dead animals will more than double to 5 million, it said. Rural Mongolians depend on their herds for food and wool, and use the animals to sell or barter for needed goods. The devastation of the herds has kept families from buying extra food in the lean months leading up to the harvest at summer's end. A quarter of Mongolia's 2.7 million people are now facing a period of uncertainty over food supplies, the aid group said in a statement. Staff who visited one badly affected area were told that herders had already consumed their summer supplies of dried meat. In the worst hit areas, the group said, government statistics show more than three-quarters of the herds have died. A Red Cross relief effort has delivered 215 tons of wheat, rice and millet to 2,600 households and distributed 600 pairs of boots. By the end of May, it hopes to have distributed food to 6,300 households, or 35,000 people. Mongolia's latest troubles began last summer with drought and a rodent infestation that reduced ground fodder for animals. The worst winter snowstorms in 30 years then covered over what little the herds had for forage. Animal carcasses now litter the bleak Mongolian steppe. Mongolian government agencies have begun a program to remove the carcasses and inform people on how to prevent an outbreak of diseases from the rotting corpses, the Red Cross said. Other government programs will try to kill rodents and provide animals to families which have lost entire herds. AP-NY-04-30-00 1535EDT Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. Announcement: America Online has added Reuters newswires to News Profiles. To add Reuters articles to your daily news delivery, go to KW: <A HREF="aol://5862:146">News Profiles</A> and click on "Modify Your News Profiles." Then click "Edit" and add Reuters from the list on the left. To edit your profile, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsProfiles</A>. For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>.
