Originally published May 30, 2011 at 8:33 PM | Page modified May 31, 2011 at 2:43 PM

Quake toll lower than Haiti claimed, U.S. report finds

Far fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's devastating earthquake than claimed by Haitian leaders, a report commissioned by the U.S. government has concluded — challenging a central premise behind the aid and reconstruction effort.

By The Associated Press

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GREGORY BULL / AP

A woman walks down a devastated street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in January 2010, a week after powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck. Far fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's devastating earthquake than claimed by Haitian leaders, a report commissioned by the U.S. government has concluded, challenging a central premise behind a multibillion-dollar aid and reconstruction effort.

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Interesting finding. I am not so concerned by the number left lifeless, so much as... (May 30, 2011, by dan00500) Read more

Follow the money. Millions and milliona, public and private, sent to Haiti for years... (May 31, 2011, by 60sCynic) Read more

Why is it that every time there is a natural disaster or a civil war in another country... (May 30, 2011, by UW_ike09) Read more

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Far fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's devastating earthquake than claimed by Haitian leaders, a report commissioned by the U.S. government has concluded — challenging a central premise behind the aid and reconstruction effort.

The report estimates the death toll was between 46,000 and 85,000, far below Haiti's official figure of 316,000. The report was prepared for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Haitian authorities stood by their figures.

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