Haiti toll may reach 300,000: president

22 Feb 2010, 2:36 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Haiti's president says the death toll from his country's earthquake could reach 300,000 when all the bodies are recovered from wrecked buildings.

Haiti's president says the death toll from his country's earthquake could reach 300,000 when all the bodies are recovered from wrecked buildings.

Speaking after arriving in Mexico for regional meetings that will include discussion of Haitian aid needs, Preval gave no indication of how he reached the figure.

"You have seen the pictures, you know the numbers, more than 200,000 bodies picked up in the streets, counting those that are still underneath the rubble, perhaps we could arrive at 300,000 deaths," Preval said on Sunday at a meeting between Mexican officials and the countries of the Caribbean trade bloc.

Haiti's government has placed the death toll at between 170,000 and 230,000. It depends on which official is talking and none have explained in detail the methodology used to arrive at the numbers.

The country's chief epidemiologist has said he believes the government is making a lot of estimates.

Preval will also attend the Unity Summit of Latin American and Caribbean nations convened by the Rio Group starting on Monday. Aid for Haiti in the wake of the devastating January 12 earthquake is expected to be discussed.

Arriving on Sunday aboard a Mexican government plane, Preval thanked Mexico for all the aid it has sent to his country since the quake.

"I want to thank the Mexican people with all my heart," he said.

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