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US Report Questions Haiti Death Toll

True count may be 250K less than Haitian estimate

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted May 31, 2011 1:20 AM CDT

(Newser) – The number of people killed or made homeless by the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti last year is well below the Haitian government's figures, according to a report commissioned by the US government. The researchers estimate that between 46,000 and 85,000 people were killed in the quake, according to a copy of the unreleased report obtained by AP. The Haitian government says 316,000 people died in the quake, but it has not explained how it arrived at the official figure.

The report, commissioned by USAID to help it get an accurate picture of how much rubble remains to be cleared and housing to be rebuilt, estimates that 375,000 people are still in temporary resettlement camps in the capital. The UN estimates there are 680,000. The report's lead author says nobody should be surprised by the revised figures, given the lack of justification for the official ones. "Personally, for me, in terms of the tragedy, less is better," he says. "And at about 60,000 dead, that's still a huge tragedy."

A man missing a leg moves through the remains of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Port-au-Prince early this year on the first anniversary of the quake.
A man missing a leg moves through the remains of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Port-au-Prince early this year on the first anniversary of the quake.   (Getty Images)
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At about 60,000 dead, that's still a huge tragedy. - Anthropologist Timothy T. Schwartz,
the report's lead author

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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
RidersOnTheStorm
May 31, 2011 4:57 AM CDT
This is ridiculous by USAID and a very poor synopsis by newser of the AP original story. Read it. Surely to make sense the count of the living needs to be the other way around and not as USAID "estimates that 375,000 people are still in temporary resettlement camps in the capital. The UN estimates there are 680,000." The count of the living is far easier to verify than an estimate in academic report of the dead a year later. AP - "Leonard Doyle, a spokesman for the U.N. migration organization that conducted its own census of settlement camp populations. "But we are 100 percent confident that the people we counted are living in the camps." Meanwhile USAID - AP - "The first draft of the report contained internal inconsistencies with its own findings," Shah said in a telephone interview from Washington. "We are reviewing these inconsistencies ... to ensure information we release is accurate." Shah would not elaborate or say whether the report could change significantly once the inconsistencies are resolved." The report's lead author, Timothy T. Shwartz:  "Intellectually, I really don't care how many people got killed in the earthquake," Some intellect! I think I'll stick with the U.N. whom at least are able to count the living
finkster
May 31, 2011 2:26 AM CDT
Whatever the death toll it is still a human tragedy and these people need help. But it wouldn't surprise me if the Haitian government over estimated for the purpose of getting more funds.

 
Haiti • USAID • Haiti earthquake • Haiti earthquake dead • Haiti relief

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