"It is undeniable that the capacity deployed by my government in public health and the territorial presence of healthcare was not used due to sectarianism and ignorance," he stated in an address from Bogota.

Petro also accused the government of allowing an Israeli 'military intelligence' operation on Colombian territory during the emergency and questioned the experience of rescuers sent by Israel.

"Do not bring those who knock down buildings with live children inside the buildings. They do not know about this; they come for something else," he said.

Petro also questioned why the Benkos Bioho Hospital Ship, intended to provide healthcare in coastal and riverine communities, remained in the port of Buenaventura for seven days during the emergency.

"The ship could have dropped off health teams along the coast and even gone up the rivers of the Pacific," Petro noted, adding that during his administration it had carried out 7,882 operations along the coastline.

According to Petro, his government had left 9,000 million pesos, about 2.9 million dollars, for an immediate response following an earthquake. He said the destination of those resources remains unknown.

He also criticised the government's response during the first 100 hours of the emergency, which he described as 'fundamental'.

"The inability of the incoming government's handover engineered by Abelardo turned those hours into a disaster, a disaster greater than the one that already existed," he added.

Petro also questioned the government's rejection of some international aid and asserted that the decision to 'politicise it' had consequences for the number of victims.

The official earthquake toll stands at 319 dead, 4,469 injured and 260 missing, while 364 people have been rescued. Material damage includes 151,995 homes damaged, 30,803 destroyed and 302 collapsed buildings.

Speaking in Barranquilla, De la Espriella said an initial technical assessment had estimated the scale of damage from the earthquake, which mainly affected Valle del Cauca and Risaralda.

"A private firm modelled direct physical losses in Choco, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Quindio and Caldas, close to 30 trillion pesos, roughly 24.5 trillion in buildings and 5.5 trillion in infrastructure . Imagine the scale of the disaster," he detailed.

De la Espriella said Choco, where the epicentre was located, needs "special consideration and a Marshall Plan" to address historical debts and rebuild damaged homes and buildings.

He also highlighted a World Bank loan secured to support the emergency response.

"In record time, the Ministry of Finance activated the disbursement of the first tranche of a World Bank loan for US$200 million," he said.

According to the president, the funds are available "to meet the most pressing needs of the victims of this natural disaster", and he expressed his gratitude to the international organisation for the speed of its response.

De la Espriella also announced rent subsidies, relief on public services and a programme called "Miracle Housing" for affected families.

"We will carry out the census, profile each case and deliver concrete solutions for all Colombians affected. My government will shoulder this responsibility with austerity," he asserted.

The quake has destroyed at least 26,945 homes and damaged more than 127,557 properties nationwide, according to the report presented by De la Espriella. At least 289 people have died, 4,187 have been injured and 143 remain missing.

Across Colombia, the earthquake has left 23,392 homes destroyed and 127,608 damaged, while 287 people have died and 4,147 have been injured, according to Sunday's update from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. Survivors in Cali say rebuilding will be difficult and could take years, but they remain determined to start again.

"This is the room where we are staying these days, while the Mayor's Office gives us assistance for lodging," he said. Pino Cordoba said the Medrano Neighbourhood Community Action Board had registered him as a victim and photographed the damage, but authorities had yet to visit.

"We are waiting for the Mayor's Office to come and see me," he said. He recalled escaping moments before his home collapsed after feeling the earthquake while having hot chocolate and bread.

"When I felt the tremor, I went out," he said. "As I was going up the stairs, I saw the building over there collapse... Thank God I had already got out."

Pino Cordoba said he has since relied on relatives and friends for food and other support while awaiting assistance.

The earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, with its epicentre near San Jose del Palmar in Choco. Authorities say 14 people have died and 139 have been injured in the department, with 468 homes destroyed, Viory reports. Nationwide, 287 people have been killed, 3,975 injured and 378 remain missing, according to the latest government figures.

Mexico has also sent humanitarian aid to Colombia following the earthquake, with the government saying 58.5 tonnes of food, water and medicines would be delivered between 12 and 14 August. Juan Carlos Valencia, president of the Risaralda Departmental Assembly, thanked Mexico for its support. Meanwhile, queues continue at registration points as authorities assess damaged properties and document the losses of affected families.

The procedures were moved to Palmira after the Forensic Medicine office in Cali was evacuated because of the risk of structural collapse.

The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said 250 bodies have arrived at Forensic Medicine. Of those, 227 have been identified and 189 handed over to their families.

"It is overwhelmed; the forensic service in the city of Cali is overwhelmed because of the earthquake. So all the bodies have been sent here to Palmira, and that has meant it takes a long time to hand over our loved ones," said the son of a person who died in the earthquake.

The man said he had been waiting since early in the day to receive his relative’s remains.

"It is worrying, because we want to give a Christian burial, and with the pain being so strong here, you do not want your relative to be there in these conditions ."

He said he had been told the previous night that the body would be ready by Thursday morning, but he was still unable to receive it.

"Last night they told me—I was there until late last night—they told me that today at 09:00. I have just arrived to claim the body, but they say it is not on this first list of the morning, so I have to wait to see when they can hand it over to me."

Meanwhile, citizens have travelled to areas affected by the earthquake to deliver humanitarian aid.

"It comes from the heart, and all of us at this time have to unite as a country to help all these people who really have nowhere to sleep and no food," said one Cali resident taking part in the effort.

The Office of the Attorney General set up service points in Palmira and Tulua to speed up procedures after the Cali forensic office was evacuated.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in San Jose del Palmar, caused damage across Choco, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Caldas. As of Thursday, the UNGRD reported 273 people dead, 3,824 injured and 377 missing.