The Holy Father commends the souls of the many deceased to "the clemency of the Almighty" as the death toll from the tragedy continues to climb quickly.
As imagery from the deadly flash flood near the border of China and Nepal is circling the world, the death toll continues to rise quickly. More than 1,000 people are still unaccounted for. And some are warning of a possible second flood.
A message from Pope Leo XVI assuring his spiritual closeness was sent by his Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
"Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy. Likewise offering prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in the ongoing rescue efforts, he invokes upon all divine assistance and protection."
Reports say that a glacier collapse may have triggered the flash flood. Nepal is one of Asia's least developed countries, and the flooding has also caused significant material damage. Nepal suffered an extremely deadly earthquake just over 10 years ago, in 2015.
Hinduism in the majority religion in Nepal and Christians make up a very tiny minority, including around 8,000 Catholics.
