The death toll of UN staffers in the deadly Haiti earthquake reached 46, and some 500 others are still missing or unaccounted for, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said on Monday.

Nesirky told reporters that "the death toll for the UN as a whole is 46," adding "more than 500 are missing or unaccounted for. "

The United Nations made clear that the figure of "missing or unaccounted for" includes local staff who may have survived but have not been contacted.

More than 50,000 people were believed to have died in the magnitude-7.3 quake that struck the island country on Jan. 12. Haitian officials said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country in more than 200 years.

The Christopher Hotel in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, which houses the UN headquarters in Haiti, and other buildings hosting the world body's offices collapsed in the tremors.