PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- More than 50,000 people were killed and other 250,000 were injured during the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, Haitian Health Minister Alex Larsen told a press conference on Friday.
Residents search for victims after an earthquake in Port-au-Prince January 13, 2010. More than 50,000 people were killed and other 250,000 were injured during the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, Haitian Health Minister Alex Larsen told a press conference on Friday.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
The catastrophic quake could have also left some 1.5 million Haitians homeless, Larson said.
He said the Haitian government institutions were moved to a police station near the international airport, as the Presidential Palace and ministries' office buildings totally collapsed after the disaster.
All the sport centers in the capital city Port-au-Prince will be used as medical centers to assist the injured, Larson added.
The devastating quake on Tuesday destroyed nearly 70 percent of the buildings in Port-au-Prince. The presidential palace, ministries' offices, hospitals and schools were all affected.
Picture taken on Jan. 12, 2010 shows damaged buildings in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince.(Xinhua/Radioteleginenhaiti.com) Photo Gallery>>>
The United Nations, International Red Cross, other organizations and Haitian government officials estimated a probable death toll of 100,000 victims and at least 3 million people affected by the earthquake, the worst in the recent 200 years of the Caribbean country's history.
