Haiti PM says more than 200,000 dead

HAITIAN Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive says "more than 200,000" people died in the catastrophic January 12 earthquake that devastated his nation.

"There are more than 200,000 people who have been clearly identified as people who are dead," the prime minister said today.

He said another 300,000 injured were being seen "in hospitals, in health centres and also in ambulatory care centres".

Citing statistics in his possession, Mr Bellerive said 4000 people had undergone amputations since the quake three weeks ago, which left a million Haitians homeless.

"More than 250,000 houses have been destroyed," he said, adding some 30,000 business also were destroyed.

"In terms of figures, it is a disaster on a planetary scale," Mr Bellerive said.

"These are figures that are the most extreme of the last 20 or 30 years," he added, comparing the quake to other major natural disasters.