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Emotional moment Today Show host Sarah Abo choked back tears on live TV as she speaks to a hopeless earthquake responder in her native Syria: ‘It’s not nearly enough’

  • Today host Sarah Abo broke down
  • The desk heard from a Syrian rescue worker
  • Death toll in Syria and Turkey passed 20,000 

Today host Sarah Abo became overwhelmed with emotion on this morning’s show after interviewing a Syrian man involved rescue efforts after two catastrophic earthquakes devastated the region.

Local authorities say the death toll from the catastrophic events have passed 20,000 with at least 3,317 dead in Syria and 17,406 killed in Turkey.

That number is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue. 

The Syrian-born journalist, who joined hosting the Today desk only a few weeks ago, led the interview with Ismail Alabdullah – a member of a volunteer organisation known as The White Helmets.

‘I know this has been incredibly difficult for you and your insight into this has been quite remarkable for me,’ Today co-host Karl Stefanovic said of Abo at the opening of the segment.

At the close of the interview, the camera panned back to the two co-hosts as Abo looked down the camera lens with tears in her eyes.

‘It’s like they feel like they’re being ignored,’ she said.

‘You’ve got people there who are so desperate and it’s as though for years they feel as though they haven’t been given the attention that they deserve,’

Stefanovic reached across the desk and placed a hand on his co-hosts arm to support her through the final seconds of the segment.

‘And now we are seeing them so desperate and he said it’s taken days for aid to reach them,’ Abo continued.

‘It’s not nearly enough. They need so much more. What do you do when a region’s divided by war… that is so difficult.’

The combined death toll in Syria and Turkey from the earthquakes have passed 20,000

The combined death toll in Syria and Turkey from the earthquakes have passed 20,000

Rescue volunteer Ismail Alabdullah questioned why international aid has taken so long to arrive (pictured, volunteers celebrating as a toddler is rescued from the rubble)

Rescue volunteer Ismail Alabdullah questioned why international aid has taken so long to arrive (pictured, volunteers celebrating as a toddler is rescued from the rubble)

Stefanovic said Australians are feeling for the Turkish and Syrian people who have been impacted by the horrific disaster and added it must be particularly tough for Abo.

‘I feel you. I think the whole country does and the world does,’ he said.

‘It’s tough to watch and you have such an intimate knowledge of it.

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‘It’s okay,’ he said quietly to his co-host as the program cut to an ad break.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday a team of 72 Australian personnel will be on the ground in Turkey by the end of the week to help local authorities in rescue and recovery efforts.

‘These urban search and rescue specialists are highly trained to locate, deliver medical assistance to and remove victims who have been trapped or impacted by a structural collapse,’ he said.

The initial devastating 7.8 magnitude quake hit the region at about 4am on Monday, local time. 

On Friday morning (AEDT), some 80 hours after the first quake, the US announced it will send an $85m emergency relief package, including food, shelter and emergency health services.

The head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also on his way to Syria where he said ‘WHO is supporting essential health care in the areas affected’.

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