Heifer Haiti affected by Hurricane

By Maegan Clark

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: November 19, 2010



Heifer Haiti Projects affected by Hurricane Tomas in the Southern Region


Damages in the houses and property




In addition two people died, one in Les Anglais and one in Roche-a-Bateau.

294 persons displaced from Les Anglais and 248 from Saint Jean du Sud.


General information of Hurricane Tomas impact in the Southern Coast

Hurricane which hit Haiti on Friday November 4, left at least 20 people killed, 36 hurt and around 6,000 homeless families, according to the Haitian civil defense. The most affected region is the department of Grand Anse, in the southwest. Nevertheless, it also caused several damages in the South department, especially in the coastal zone, were the families live mostly of agriculture and commerce. They cultivate “milla”, maize and peanut. In some areas, such as Chardonnières up to Les Anglais the inhabitants also grow the banana plants.

The Hurricane affected the crops and plantations and has left the population very worried about the next harvest.

The Heifer Haiti has visited the field and have validated that about 95% of the vegetable gardens are destroyed, affected by a phenomena called “plant burn” caused by soil salinization.


Figure 1: gardens affected by “plant burn”

Figure 2: Plantation destroyed by the hurricane



Figure 3: Banana Plantation destroyed

Most of the banana plantations were destroyed by the effect of the winds from the hurricane.


Figure 4: A house destroyed by hurricane Tomas


In some zones, many houses were destroyed and others damaged by the impact of the hurricane. The sea entered into the peoples’ houses, especially to those families living on the border of the sea. Fortunately some days before the government evacuated the families who were in higher risk.

Some animal shelters were destroyed by the hurricane.


Figure 5: Road damaged between Port a Piment and Les Anglais

Figure 6: The vehicles are forced to wait on both sides of the highway, since it’s not possible to cross a river

Figure 7: The foreigners who came to provide aid cannot arrive to their destination.


In Roche-a - bateau where we have a Heifer Project with the partner organization APMCR 231407-02, located in a region where most of the people live from fishery, the following resources were lost: 150 persons disappeared, 2 boats destroyed, 4 excavated wood lost, 2 fish nets lost, traps, 20 acres of peas lost, 80 kilometers of “milla” crops lost, 50 hectare of pistachio, 60 acres of potato crops, 50 hectare of malanga, 106 coconut trees destroyed, 500 trees and 100 chickens killed.