AKIPRESS.COM - Colombia's president has declared an "economic, social and ecological emergency" as the first victims of the Mocoa landslide were laid to rest, reported BBC.

Juan Manuel Santos said the government was also putting 40,000m pesos ($13.9m; £11.1m) towards "addressing humanitarian priorities".

At the same time, the first funerals were taking place of the 262 victims killed in Saturday's landslide.

But the hunt still continues for any survivors.

The Red Cross told news agency AFP they were still within the 72-hour window where they would hope to find people alive.

However, hopes were fading among residents still desperate to find family members swept away in the torrent of mud, rocks and debris which struck the south-western town of 40,000 early on Saturday.

The flood came after a night of extremely heavy rain, which raised the water levels of the Mocoa River and three tributaries, sweeping away entire neighbourhoods.