THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996            TAG: 9609290080
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3A  EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RALEIGH                           LENGTH:   17 lines

HURRICANE LEAVES FORESTS IN SHAMBLES

Hurricane Fran damaged more than 40 percent of North Carolina's commercial forest land, at a cost of more than $1 billion, state officials said.

Timber damage is estimated in excess of $1.2 billion, nearly four times the value of timber destroyed by Hurricane Hugo seven years ago, said Jonathan Howes, secretary of the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources.

KEYWORDS: COST HURRICANE FRAN by CNB