Heavy rain destroys tomato crop

MAIDEN, N.C.-- Storms dumping several inches of rain hit Catawba County the hardest in the early hours of Sunday morning.

One family took an especially hard hit when rains dumped around 8 inches of water over their tomato farm. The Wright family lost about $150,000 worth of tomato plants on the 20-plus acre farm of off Miles Lane in Maiden.

Ray Wright says, "This is the worst I've seen."

Monday was supposed to be picking day. Now, all that can be seen of the plants is the very top. The rest is underwater.

"Hopefully, they can salvage something out of the crop, I hope," says Wright.

The Wrights may not be able to save this field, but they do have a few things going for them -- crop insurance and other fields to help balance the loss.