Pope Francis at his weekly audience in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City on Wednesday prayed for flood and storm victims in the U.S., Britain and South America.
“I invite you to pray for victims of the calamities that have struck over the past days.
“May the Lord give comfort to these people, and may brotherly solidarity help them with their needs,” he said.
The pontiff said he was thinking of victims of storms and floods that had plagued the countries over the Christmas period.
Deadly storms have claimed at least 49 lives in the southern and midwest U.S. while in Britain several parts of northern England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been badly affected by record floods.
Also the border region between Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay has been hit by the worst floods in 20 years.