Pope urges access for Cyclone Mocha relief

Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for humanitarian organisations to be given access to areas hit by a deadly cyclone which tore through parts of Myanmar and Bangladesh two weeks ago.

“I appeal to those responsible to facilitate the access of humanitarian aid,” the pontiff said at the end of the Angelus prayer in the Vatican.

“And I appeal to the sense of human solidarity and ecclesial solidarity to come to the aid of these brothers and sisters of ours,” he added.

Cyclone Mocha brought lashing rain and winds of 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour to Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh on May 14, collapsing buildings and turning streets into rivers.

The United Nations on Wednesday called for Myanmar’s military rulers to open up and ensure life-saving aid can get to parts of the Southeast Asian that need it