How did Hurricane David damage Dominica’s agriculture in 1979?

In August 1979, Hurricane David caused catastrophic damage to Dominica’s agricultural sector, effectively wiping out the country’s agricultural base. The storm largely destroyed the banana crop, which served as the island’s economic mainstay at the time. Furthermore, the hurricane’s impact was so severe that it carried away the majority of the island’s topsoil, creating significant long-term challenges for cultivation.1

In addition to the destruction of crops and soil, the island's fishing industry was devastated, with nearly all of the island’s fishing boats destroyed during the storm.2