In the wake of 54 people being killed from Hurricane Sandy, Haiti is now looking at almost 1.5 million people going hungry in 2013 because of the storm’s damage.

The United Nations is reporting that a drought in the spring and summer coupled with the extensive damage to property and equipment caused by successive natural disasters have essentially wiped out farming in large parts of the nation.

Tropical Storm Isaac struck in August causing heavy damage and the nation experienced significant amounts of heavy rain before Hurricane Sandy struck leaving them unprepared to deal with the storm’s power.

UN estimates say that in just the southern part of the country, over 70% of the nation’s yam, corn and banana crops have been destroyed.

The UN World Food Program has stated many places in northern Haiti remain isolated due to storm damage.

In addition, heavy rains have continued to fall on parts of the country. In Cap-Haitien, the nation’s second largest city, flooding has killed 20 people in the last week.

The Haitian government and the World Food Program have appealed to the UN general assembly for $39 million to continue distributing food, rehabilitate destroyed farmland and to help control the flooding that has destroyed entire villages.