Farmers Hit Hard by Hurricane

July 15, 1996 - 4:45 p.m. EDT

North Carolina farmers may have taken the hardest financial pounding from Hurricane Bertha.

Damage has been reported from coastal counties to as far west as Wilson and Nash Counties.

Damage assessment teams have fanned out across the eastern part of the state to gather information on the extent of crop losses. Onslow County alone lost an estimated $20 million due to crop damage. Statewide the total could exceed $100 million.

The worst damage appears to have been to corn and tobacco crops. A more accurate measure of crop loss is expected tomorrow