Today Show’s Sarah Abo cries after hearing from Syrian rescue worker as earthquake death toll rises

Today’s presenter, Sarah Abo, was overcome with emotion on this morning’s show after interviewing a Syrian man involved in the rescue efforts after two catastrophic earthquakes devastated the region.

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

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

The Syrian-born journalist, who joined the Today desk just a few weeks ago, conducted the interview with Ismail Alabdullah, a member of a volunteer organization known as The White Helmets.

“I know this has been incredibly difficult for you and your understanding of this has been quite remarkable to me,” Today co-host Karl Stefanovic said of Abo at the segment’s opening.

At the end of the interview, the camera panned back to the two co-hosts as Abo looked through the camera lens with tears in his eyes.

“It’s like they feel like they’re being ignored,” he said.

“There are people there who are so desperate and it’s like for years they feel like they haven’t been given the attention they deserve.”

Stefanovic leaned across the desk and placed a hand on his co-host’s arm to support her through the final seconds of the segment.

“And now we are seeing them so desperate and he said it took days for help to arrive,” Abo continued.

Is not sufficient. They need a lot more. What do you do when a region is divided by war… that’s so hard?

The combined death toll in Syria and Turkey from the quakes has exceeded 20,000.

Rescue volunteer Ismail Alabdullah questioned why international aid has taken so long to arrive (in the photo, volunteers celebrating the rescue of a child from the rubble)

Stefanovic said Australians sympathize with the Turkish and Syrian people who were affected by the horrific disaster, adding that it must be particularly difficult for Abo.

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

“It’s hard to watch and you have very intimate knowledge of it.

“Okay,” he said quietly to his co-host as the show cut out with an ad break.

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

“These urban search and rescue specialists are highly trained to locate, provide medical assistance and remove victims who have been trapped or affected by a structural collapse,” he said.

The initial devastating 7.8 magnitude quake hit the region around 4am Monday local time.

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

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is also heading to Syria, where he said that “the WHO is supporting essential medical care in the affected areas.”