At least six people are reported to have died and seven are missing due to floods in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic following days of heavy rainfall.

Raging waters from three rivers have poured into the old town of Passau in south east Germany, one of the cities worst hit by the flooding that has spread across a large area of central Europe.

Officials across central Europe issued disaster warnings and scrambled to reinforce flood defences as rivers swelled by days of heavy rain threatened to burst their banks.

Authorities in parts of central Europe issued disaster warnings and scrambled to reinforce flood defences yesterday as rivers swelled by days of heavy rain threatened to burst their banks.