The swollen River Danube is approaching Budapest, where soldiers and volunteers are building flood walls, officials said.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in a region of eastern Germany where the Elbe river has flooded and burst through a dam, while a swollen Danube was approaching Budapest where soldiers and volunteers are building flood walls, officials said yesterday.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in a region of eastern Germany where the Elbe river has flooded and burst through a dam, officials said.

The crest of the flooded Danube River is expected to reach Budapest late today but defences should keep the water out of most of the capital, according to Hungarian officials.