Haiti quake death toll surges to nearly 2,000

The death toll from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti has risen to 1,941 with more than 9,900 wounded, the Caribbean nation's civil protection agency said on Tuesday.

More than 60,000 homes were destroyed and 76,000 damaged, while many public buildings were also damaged or collapsed in Saturday's quake, the agency said.

The powerful tremor struck about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the west of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Thousands of people left homeless in the disaster faced more misery as Tropical Storm Grace lashed the impoverished country with up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain.

The US National Hurricane Center warned of flash and urban flooding, and possible mudslides.

Still recovering from a massive 2010 tremor that devastated Port-au-Prince, Haiti was already in shock from its president's assassination last month when the disaster hit.

Some aid has come in from abroad, including specialized search crews from the United States as well as 15.4 tons of food, medicine and water from Mexico.

A 7.0-magnitude quake in January 2010 left much of Port-au-Prince and nearby cities in ruins, killing more than 200,000.

More than 1.5 million Haitians were made homeless in that disaster, which also destroyed 60 percent of Haiti's healthcare system, leaving authorities and the international humanitarian community with a colossal challenge.

SS