The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Haiti has exceeded 150,000, BBC has said, quoting a Haitian minister.
Communications minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue said the count was based on bodies collected in and around the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.
The previous figure published by the Haitian interior ministry on Sunday stood at 112,226. The ministry said almost 194,000 people were injured in the quake.
The 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation on January 12. Estimates as to the final death toll in the earthquake range up to 200,000.
Many people reportedly remain trapped under rubble in the capital, the towns of Jacmel and Leogane and in other areas affected by the quake.
On Saturday, the Haitian government declared an end to a search-and-rescue operation in Port-au-Prince. The majority of search-and-rescue teams would soon leave the disaster-hit area, although some heavy machinery might stay to help in post-quake reconstruction and distribution of humanitarian aid.
MOSCOW, January 25 (RIA Novosti)
