POPE Francis has prayed for flood victims in Brazil, hard hit in recent weeks causing scores of deaths and forcing major displacement.
The Holy Father’s thought for Brazil came after he prayed the Sunday Angelus with the crowd of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
“I express my nearness to the people hit by strong rain and flooding in various regions of Brazil during these past weeks,” Pope Francis said.
“I am especially praying for the victims and their families, and for those who have lost their homes. May God sustain the efforts of those who are providing relief.”
Since the beginning of the year, hundreds of thousands of families have faced devastating flooding in the state of Bahia, Brazil.
The floods have displaced more than 93,000 people and have taken 26 lives.
People are scrounging for their few remaining belongings, and frantically searching for loved ones.
According to the website ReliefWeb, Brazil’s flood tragedy is man made.
In recent years, the country has continued building dams in order to expand hydropower despite the havoc caused to the environment and Indigenous communities.