U.N. warns of food shortages in Haiti

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The U.N. World Food Program warned that 1.5 million Haitians, recovering from natural disasters, face food shortages well into 2013.

Haiti has been hit with a drought, Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy in the past six months, a U.N. statement issued Tuesday said.

"One of our biggest worries is in areas that are still isolated after Hurricane Sandy, where women and children face worsening nutrition," said the World Food Program's director in Haiti Myrta Kaulard.

Food was distributed to 14,000 people in the week following the hurricane, and 800 tons of food was directed to Haiti's worst-hit areas in November, the statement said, adding that U.N. agencies will require $19 million in funding to prevent malnutrition and rehabilitate agricultural land.