Death toll from Haiti quake reaches 150,000
By DPA, IANSMonday, January 25, 2010
Port-au-PRINCE - The Haitian government raised the confirmed death toll from this month’s devastating earthquake to 150,000 late Monday.
Officials said they fear the death toll could be as high as 200,000 in Jan 12’s magnitude-7 quake.
The government also said it plans to block off portions of the ruined capital Port-au-Prince to allow ruins and debris to be cleared away and new structures to be built.
Residents should go to their home provinces if possible to aid the reconstruction, said Jean Baleme Mathurian, an economic advisor to Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive.
Some 40,000 people have already left the city to return to villages where they have family ties, he said.
On Monday, foreign ministers met in Montreal to map out an aid plan for Haiti. Bellerive called for more aid, but made clear that Haiti wants to guide the process and develop its own vision of rebuilding the shattered capital Port-au-Prince and outlying areas.
