The number of Brazilian soldiers who died as a result of the earthquake that hit Port au Prince, Haiti's capital, on Tuesday rose to 14, according to a statement released Thursday by Brazil's Ministry of Defense.

Four officers remain unaccounted for, and 14 were injured -- two will be returned to Brazil and another two have been hospitalized in the Dominican Republic, neighboring Haiti, the statement added.

The Brazilian government on Thursday declared official mourning across the country for three days, starting on Wednesday, for victims of the earthquake that destroyed part of Haiti.

Among the 1,310 Brazilians living in Haiti, most are military personnel serving as the United Nations peacekeepers.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced a plan to donate US$15 million in humanitarian aid to Haiti to assist the reconstruction work in the country. The money is expected to be transferred in the next few days.

Meanwhile, two planes from the Brazilian Air Force carrying 21 tons of food and water to the Haitian population were expected to reach the Caribbean country by Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2010)