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.

Heavy rainfall swelled already full rivers in southern and eastern Germany yesterday, prompting authorities to reinforce flood defences after at least two people drowned in recent days.

Brienz at the foot of the picturesque Bernese Alps in Switzerland – normally packed with tourists and hikers at this time of year – is instead coated with mud and debris today after days of devastating flooding.

HOLIDAY 2005 magazine, an annual guide to the world of holidays and travel from Ireland and within, is on sale in newsagents from this week.

Police cordoned off Prague’s Old Town today and ordered residents to evacuate as emergency workers tried to save the historic district.

As many as 40,000 residents fled low-lying parts of Prague before dawn today, hours before the worst flood in more than 100 years was expected to hit the Czech capital.