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Haiti capital toll 'tops 150,000' | Haiti capital toll 'tops 150,000' |
(about 6 hours later) | |
The confirmed death toll from Haiti's devastating earthquake has risen above 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince area alone, a government minister has said. | The confirmed death toll from Haiti's devastating earthquake has risen above 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince area alone, a government minister has said. |
Communications Minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue said the count was based on bodies collected in and around the capital by state company CNE. | |
Many more bodies remain uncounted under rubble in the capital, including the towns of Jacmel and Leogane. | |
The search for survivors has officially ended and the focus has shifted to aid. | The search for survivors has officially ended and the focus has shifted to aid. |
But there is disagreement about how well the aid operation is doing, with the head of Italy's civil protection service making highly critical comments. | |
Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble - 200,000, 300,000? Marie-Laurence Jocelyn LassegueCommunications Minister | |
Guido Bertolaso, who is in Haiti to co-ordinate relief efforts, also criticised what he saw as the presence of too many American soldiers. | |
He said they had no training in running a civilian relief operation. | |
"When there is an emergency, it triggers a vanity parade. Lots of people go there anxious to show that their country is big and important, showing solidarity", he said. | |
He called on the United Nations to establish a procedure to follow when major natural disasters occur. | |
As the death toll in Haiti has risen, it has become clear the 12 January quake is one of the worst natural disasters to have struck in recent years. | As the death toll in Haiti has risen, it has become clear the 12 January quake is one of the worst natural disasters to have struck in recent years. |
Some say the 7.0-magnitude quake killed as many as 200,000 people, while an estimated 1.5 million people have been left homeless. | Some say the 7.0-magnitude quake killed as many as 200,000 people, while an estimated 1.5 million people have been left homeless. |
Ms Lassegue said that the authorities were still far from knowing the total number of those killed. | Ms Lassegue said that the authorities were still far from knowing the total number of those killed. |
"Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble - 200,000, 300,000? Who knows the overall death toll?" the Associated Press quotes her as saying on Sunday. | "Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble - 200,000, 300,000? Who knows the overall death toll?" the Associated Press quotes her as saying on Sunday. |
Speaking to reporters a day earlier, she said the general hospital had received about 10,000 corpses, which it had handed over to CNE for burial. | Speaking to reporters a day earlier, she said the general hospital had received about 10,000 corpses, which it had handed over to CNE for burial. |
At least 75,000 people have been buried in mass graves since the disaster. Relatives have also burnt the bodies of some of the victims. | At least 75,000 people have been buried in mass graves since the disaster. Relatives have also burnt the bodies of some of the victims. |
'Tremendous need' | 'Tremendous need' |
Thousands of people joined open-air church services in Port-au-Prince, Leogane - the epicentre of the earthquake - and elsewhere on Sunday. | Thousands of people joined open-air church services in Port-au-Prince, Leogane - the epicentre of the earthquake - and elsewhere on Sunday. |
A day after the funeral of the capital's Roman Catholic archbishop, Father Glanda Toussaint celebrated Mass at an altar improvised on a wooden table by the wrecked cathedral. | A day after the funeral of the capital's Roman Catholic archbishop, Father Glanda Toussaint celebrated Mass at an altar improvised on a wooden table by the wrecked cathedral. |
HAITI'S REMARKABLE SURVIVORS Wismond Exantus, 24 - pulled out alive after 11 daysEmmannuel Buso, 21 - rescued after 10 daysMarie Carida, 84 - saved after 10 daysMendji Bahina Sanon, 11 - trapped for eight daysLozama Hotteline, 25 - pulled out after seven daysElisabeth Joassaint, 15 days - buried for seven days, half her lifeEna Zizi, 69 - rescued after seven days Haiti quake: Survivors' stories 'An extraordinary operation' | |
He told his congregation: "What we are going through is not finished, we must reconstruct the country and reconstruct our faith. As a Haitian, it hurts." | He told his congregation: "What we are going through is not finished, we must reconstruct the country and reconstruct our faith. As a Haitian, it hurts." |
Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean, who set up the charity foundation Yele Haiti, arrived in the capital on Sunday. | Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean, who set up the charity foundation Yele Haiti, arrived in the capital on Sunday. |
He was expected to meet officials and help distribute aid to people left homeless. | He was expected to meet officials and help distribute aid to people left homeless. |
He was among a number of high-profile artists to take part in a "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon in the US on Friday which raised more than $57m (£35m) for the aid effort. | |
Meanwhile, BBC correspondents in Port-au-Prince report a few signs of normal life returning to the city, with street stalls starting to sell fruit and vegetables and some shops and banks re-opening. | Meanwhile, BBC correspondents in Port-au-Prince report a few signs of normal life returning to the city, with street stalls starting to sell fruit and vegetables and some shops and banks re-opening. |
Queues to withdraw cash have been long, as prices for what is now on sale have increased dramatically and many Haitians have been without access to money for days. | Queues to withdraw cash have been long, as prices for what is now on sale have increased dramatically and many Haitians have been without access to money for days. |
The UN says more than 130,000 people have now been relocated out of Port-au-Prince by the authorities, easing the pressure on overcrowded camps in the city. Others have left independently. | The UN says more than 130,000 people have now been relocated out of Port-au-Prince by the authorities, easing the pressure on overcrowded camps in the city. Others have left independently. |
Foreign ministers will discuss plans for reconstruction at an international donor conference to take place in the Canadian city of Montreal on Monday. | Foreign ministers will discuss plans for reconstruction at an international donor conference to take place in the Canadian city of Montreal on Monday. |
BBC HAITIAN CREOLE SERVICE Broadcasting on FM radio daily in Haitian Creole at 0910 local time (1410 GMT), for 20 minutesGiving up-to-date information about where to get basic services and aidAlso available on satellite and online, and via social media BBC Caribbean | BBC HAITIAN CREOLE SERVICE Broadcasting on FM radio daily in Haitian Creole at 0910 local time (1410 GMT), for 20 minutesGiving up-to-date information about where to get basic services and aidAlso available on satellite and online, and via social media BBC Caribbean |
Hours after Haiti's government declared a formal end to the search for survivors on Saturday, a 24-year-old man was pulled alive from the remains of a hotel in the capital after 11 days under the rubble. | Hours after Haiti's government declared a formal end to the search for survivors on Saturday, a 24-year-old man was pulled alive from the remains of a hotel in the capital after 11 days under the rubble. |
Rescuers described his survival as "a miracle". | Rescuers described his survival as "a miracle". |
Onlookers cheered as Wismond Exantus - smiling and apparently in a good condition - emerged on a stretcher from what remains of the Napoli Inn Hotel. | Onlookers cheered as Wismond Exantus - smiling and apparently in a good condition - emerged on a stretcher from what remains of the Napoli Inn Hotel. |
He later told reporters that soft drinks and snacks had kept him going. A French medic said he could expect to leave hospital within a day or two. | He later told reporters that soft drinks and snacks had kept him going. A French medic said he could expect to leave hospital within a day or two. |
The BBC's Orla Guerin in Port-au-Prince says doctors believe he will make a full recovery. | The BBC's Orla Guerin in Port-au-Prince says doctors believe he will make a full recovery. |
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Exantus appealed for search and rescue efforts to continue so that others could share his chance of rescue. |