The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that hit Venezuela last week rose to nearly 3,000, according to official figures published on Saturday, as international rescue teams began scaling back search operations under the rubble as hopes of finding survivors faded.

In the city of La Guaira, the most affected by the disaster and located 40 kilometers from the capital Caracas, entire residential buildings have been reduced to rubble by the earthquake that struck the country on June 24. A large number of those affected remain homeless, sleeping in the streets or taking refuge in public parks, according to Agence France-Presse.

Francisco Sasquia, a 38-year-old volunteer in rescue teams and translator, said in front of a building in the Playa Grande neighborhood: 'Our operations are still ongoing, we are still pulling bodies from under 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 Gratirol (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 were killed 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.

Departure of rescue teams

In the streets of La Guaira, the number of foreign rescue teams involved in search operations is gradually decreasing.

Rescue teams from the United States, Chile, and other countries have begun preparing to leave. Among them are rescue teams from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, as well as teams from Florida and Virginia, according to what members told Agence France-Presse, as the chances of finding survivors drop significantly after 72 hours in similar disasters.

However, relief workers managed on Thursday to rescue 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 damage there was far less than that recorded in La Guaira.

According to the United States Geological Survey, this earthquake, which measured 7.5 magnitude, is the strongest in Venezuela since 1900.

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

Rodríguez had 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 relief flights.

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

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