Strong winds, dust storms hit large parts of Mongolia

ULAN BATOR, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Strong winds and dust storms have hit large parts of Mongolia, the country's National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring said Sunday.

The strong winds and dust storms swept through southern provinces of Umnugovi and Dundgovi, western provinces such as Govi-Altai and Bayankhongor, and central areas, such as the capital city Ulan Bator and provinces of Uvurkhangai, Arkhangai and Tuv, the weather monitoring agency said in a statement.

The agency warned citizens, especially nomadic herders, to take extra precautions against possible disasters.

Strong winds, dust storms and snowstorms are common weather events during spring in Mongolia, one of the nomadic countries in the world.

Ten people, mostly nomadic herders, and hundreds of thousands of livestock died in Mongolia due to strong winds and heavy dust storms in mid-March.