PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A Ministry of Agriculture official in southern Haiti says that Hurricane Sandy destroyed 70 percent of the crops in his region and caused widespread deaths of livestock.
Jean Debalio Jean-Jacques says the government has not yet put a dollar figure on the losses. But as the top agriculture ministry official in Haiti's Southern Department, he says many poor farmers will have no food because of the storm's damage.
Hurricane Sandy passed west of Haiti the night of Oct. 24. But it dumped more than 20 inches of rain in 24 hours on the town of Les Cayes and the surrounding countryside, causing rivers to overflow. Haiti reported 52 deaths.
Damaged crops include avocados, bread fruit, corn and some vetiver, a grass that produces a fragrant oil used in perfumes.
