The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week has risen to nearly 3,000, according to official figures released Saturday, as international rescue teams began scaling back search operations under the rubble with dwindling hopes of finding survivors.

In the city of La Guaira, the most affected by the disaster and located 40 kilometers from the capital Caracas, entire residential buildings have turned into rubble due to the earthquake that hit the country on June 24. A large number of affected people remain homeless, sleeping on the streets or taking refuge in public parks, according to AFP.

Francisco Saskia, a 38-year-old rescue volunteer and translator, said in front of a building in the Playa Grande neighborhood: 'Our operations are still ongoing, we are still pulling bodies from the rubble, and we will continue working.'

Relatives of those trapped under the rubble have acquiesced to the use of heavy machinery, such as excavators and bulldozers, in body recovery operations.

Susana Gratierol (47), who still has 10 neighbors missing, said in front of a collapsed building in the Playa Grande neighborhood: 'We families need to turn this page,' adding, 'They will be able to find them using heavy machinery. This is the best option, because the past days have been very harsh and exhausting for us.'

According to a preliminary toll from the Venezuelan Ministry of Communication, at least 2,954 people died and 16,592 others were injured in the two earthquakes, which are among the strongest and most destructive in Latin America.

The ministry also indicated that more than 16,000 people have been left homeless, noting that 856 buildings were damaged.

The two earthquakes occurred 39 seconds apart and mainly affected northern Venezuela, plunging the country into mourning and despair over not finding relatives, whether alive or dead.

Rescue teams depart.

Rescue teams from the United States, Chile, and other countries have begun to prepare to leave. Among them are rescue teams from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, as well as teams from Florida and Virginia, according to AFP. The chances of finding survivors drop significantly after 72 hours in similar disasters.

However, rescue workers managed on Thursday to save a man who had been under the rubble for 8 days, providing a glimmer of hope amid the tragedy. The capital Caracas was also affected by the disaster, but the damage there was much less than that recorded in La Guaira.

According to the United States Geological Survey, this earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, is the strongest in Venezuela since 1900.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez honored American rescue workers on Saturday. She told them at a ceremony held for the occasion: 'The Venezuelan people will never forget this gesture.'

Rodríguez also honored rescue workers from the United Kingdom, Qatar, France, India, Barbados, Brazil, and Argentina. She also awarded medals to search dogs.

She said she is in contact with some countries that will contribute to the rehabilitation of Maiquetía Airport in La Guaira, which was closed due to the earthquake before being partially reopened to receive humanitarian aid flights.

Rodríguez, who has been leading Venezuela since the United States arrested former President Nicolás Maduro in January, has faced criticism over the lack of rescue teams and equipment before the arrival of international teams.

The government has not released official numbers for the missing, but the United Nations estimates that their number reaches 50,000.