Preliminary damage estimates for the region indicated:
- Over 10,000 people dead, 9,000 missing, and 12,000 injured;
- Loss of housing, health facilities and schools estimated at $1.34 billion;
- Damage to water, sanitation and energy infrastructure, roads, bridges and railways estimated at $1.04 billion; and
- Loss of productive assets in agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors estimated at $2.91 billion.
It is estimated that Hurricane Georges caused 400 casualties and over $180 million total damage including indirect and secondary losses in Haiti. The perverse synergy of overwhelming poverty, degraded environment, and lack of infrastructure makes Haiti a "disaster-prone" country. Nearly every year large segments of the population suffer from either prolonged drought, frequent floods, or mud slides. An effective reconstruction strategy should deal specifically with increasing local capacity within Haiti to deal with recurring disasters.