VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereignof the Vatican City, urged the international community to help Pakistan astens of thousands are currently at the mercy of the rainy season, whichwreaked havoc across the country.

Pope urged aid during his visit to the city of L’Aquila in central Italy.He appealed for prompt and generous international solidarity and said hewas praying for the victims.

Many countries including the UK, US, UAE, Iran, and Turkiye stepped upefforts for the provision of humanitarian aid for the flood-ravaged country.

Islamabad also appealed for further international assistance as devastatingrains and floods devastate several regions, leaving thousands homeless.

The death toll in the calamity-hit regions has crossed 1,000 – with 119killed in the last 24 hours, per reports.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a grant of 10bnrupees for those in the most affected regions. Every flood-affected familywould be given 25,000 rupees.