Search efforts in Colombia enter ‘final phase’ as quake toll reaches 265

President de La Espriella promises to set up an emergency fund to help rebuild destroyed hospitals and schools.Rescue efforts in Colombia following Monday’s devastating earthquake have entered what officials called the “final phase” as the death toll rose to 265, with more than 3,500 others wounded.Rescue crews on Wednesday were fast approaching the 72-hour mark since the quake, the period during which survivors are considered most likely to be found alive beneath collapsed buildings.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Photos: Rescue efforts intensify as quake devastates western Colombia townslist 2 of 4On the ground in Cali, Colombia’s worst-hit city after the quakelist 3 of 4Colombia declares three days of mourning after deadly earthquakelist 4 of 4Thousands missing after Colombia quake as rescue continuesend of listThe magnitude 7.4 earthquake was the strongest to hit Colombia this century. Nearly 500 people remain missing, according to local authorities, and more than 9,550 homes have been destroyed.Pereira, in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region, and Cali, the country’s third-largest city, reported 83 and 74 deaths, respectively.“We’re entering the final phase,” Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said on Wednesday. “That doesn’t mean there won’t be survivors afterwards, but it is more difficult.”President Abelardo de La Espriella promised to establish an emergency fund to help rebuild hospitals, schools, homes and infrastructure destroyed by the earthquake.“This is undoubtedly a tragedy of immense proportions,” said de La Espriella, who was inaugurated just three days before the quake struck. “Our efforts are focused on those who remain missing.”De La Espriella also declared an economic emergency to address the damage caused by the earthquake, though he did not specify what measures this would entail.Bringing water, donating bloodIn Pereira, crews focused on a collapsed bakery where they believe a street vendor trapped since Monday’s earthquake may still be alive beneath the rubble.