Colombia starts to bury the dead as pressure to find survivors mounts

— -- Colombia is mourning the first of its dead following floodwaters and landslides that killed at least 273 people and left thousands of others displaced.

The first funeral processions and the lowering of caskets, which began yesterday, helped to underscore the gravity of what had occurred when deadly floods swept through southern parts of the Central American country last week.

Meanwhile, the window for rescue workers to find survivors is closing rapidly, meaning the death toll from the disaster is expected to rise.

Danilo Garzon Garcia, a 22-year-old resident of the city, had searched with other family members for his young sister when he found her body, which was identified by her underwear, according to The Associated Press.

“It is better this way, better to know,” Garzon told the AP as he carried her body to the cemetery. “At least we know where she is.”

President Donald Trump spoke yesterday with President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to express his condolences and offer support from the U.S.

Responding to a question from ABC News, Santos said that Trump was "very worried" and that he "wanted to see what we needed and that he was thinking about Colombians and the victims of this tragedy."

Santos also said that Colombia is working with the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to alleviate the fallout from the disaster.

At least 2,700 people are in five shelters as a result of the tragedy, according to Santos, who spoke to the press yesterday.

The Colombian leader said the next phase of the situation on the ground will be to stave off a public health crisis.

Vaccinations will begin for residents against Hepatitis and Tetanus, Santos said.

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.