Colombia quake: President announces reconstruction fund as rescue enters critical phase

Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella has pledged an emergency reconstruction fund to rebuild hospitals, schools, and homes destroyed by Monday's 7.4 magnitude earthquake, which has killed at least 265 people and left nearly 500 unaccounted for.

In a national address on Wednesday, De La Espriella, who was sworn in just three days before the disaster, called the event "a tragedy of immense proportions" and declared an economic emergency, though he did not specify what measures this would entail.

The quake struck western Colombia just after 7 a.m. local time on Monday, injuring 3,770 people and destroying more than 9,550 homes. The cities of Pereira and Cali reported 83 and 74 deaths respectively.

Rescue efforts in Cali are focused on seven buildings that may still hold survivors. At the Torres del Limonar complex, residents formed bucket brigades with soldiers and municipal workers to clear rubble. A fire department official from Bogota said operations have become more organized since police restricted volunteers, reducing noise and vibrations so sensors can better detect movement under the debris.

In Palmira, northeast of Cali, relatives of the deceased waited outside a morgue as officials called out names of identified bodies. Santiago Lloreda, 31, said he was at work when the quake struck his apartment, killing his mother and his 13-month-old daughter. "My daughter was a dream made reality," he said. "My mother was the pillar of our family."

The disaster presents an early test for the new president, who campaigned on cutting public spending, including defunding the state's risk management unit. "The earthquake will be the first test for the new Colombian president," said Tiziano Breda, senior analyst at conflict monitoring group ACLED.

Colombia's foreign minister rejected reports that the government had turned down international aid, saying shipments from Peru, Mexico, and El Salvador were being coordinated. A Mexican search-and-rescue team arrived directly from Venezuela, which suffered twin quakes in late June.

Meanwhile, coffee exports continue through Caribbean ports while inspectors assess landslide damage on key roads. In Pereira, resident Indira Meneses, 49, said her home collapsed with her family trapped inside. "I have five neighbors who died under the rubble," she said. "We're waiting for local officials to help us rebuild, but so far, no one has come."