Approximately 1.7 million chickens drowned in flood waters caused by Hurricane Florence and more than 6 million more are in danger, according to a major poultry producer.
On Monday, Sanderson Farms, Inc. released a statement explaining that the chickens died at 60 independent farm buildings across the state of North Carolina. The company added that the number of chickens killed might continue to increase, as a result of the flooding.
"In addition, approximately thirty farms, housing approximately 211,000 chickens per farm, in the Lumberton, North Carolina, area are isolated by floodwaters and the Company is unable to reach those farms with feed trucks," the company wrote in a press release. "Losses of live inventory could escalate if the Company does not regain access to those farms."
Sanderson Farms, Inc. says it does not believe the loss of housing capacity will affect its ongoing operations.
So far, at least 32 people's deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Florence, and that number is expected to increase as flooding continues.
