Pope: World Must Aid South Asia Flood Victims

The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict has urged the international community to provide immediate assistance to the millions of people displaced by South Asia's worst flooding in decades, 12 August.

In addition, the Pope offered a prayer for the hundreds who have died in the disaster.

Addressing crowds gathered at his summer residence outside Rome, the Pope said: "May there not be a lack of immediate and generous support from the international community to these brothers and sisters of ours."

Survivors from the floods have complained that help has yet to reach them, while local politicians and officials have been caught in the act of stealing meagre stocks of food.

Further problems have developed where flood waters are receding, as animal carcasses rot, sewage festers and mosquitoes breed in filthy water, spreading disease among survivors.