Castel Gandolfo (Italy): Pope Benedict XVI
on Wednesday urged the international community to offer "concrete
support" to flood-ravaged Pakistan.
"My thoughts at this time go to the dear people of
Pakistan, recently struck by serious floods that have claimed
numerous victims and left many families homeless," the pope
said.
"Our brothers who are undergoing such a cruel ordeal must
not lack the solidarity and concrete support of the
international community," he urged during his weekly audience
at his summer residence outside Rome.
The floods have affected some 20 million people and
claimed at least 1,400 lives in Pakistan`s worst-ever natural
disaster.
The United Nations` aid coordination body said that more
than 650,000 homeless families were still without basic
shelter.
PTI
