The Dalai Lama has expressed his dismay at the devastating flash floods in the border region between Nepal and China.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that he is praying for all those who have lost their lives and extends his sympathies to the bereaved and to all those affected by this tragedy.
Hundreds of people were reported missing following the floods in central Nepal and south-western Tibet.
"Since this region has seen calamities in the past as well, these are certainly symptoms of a deeper underlying cause - whether climate change or other factors," the statement continued.
He expressed his hope that appropriate follow-up measures would be taken to ensure that such disasters do not recur.
The 91-year-old fled into exile in 1959 and has lived as a stateless Tibetan in India, which he describes as his second home.
China regards the Dalai Lama as a separatist. Many people internationally still regard him as the personification of Tibetan resistance to Chinese occupation.