Flooding kills 34 and leaves thousands homeless

FLOOD victims waded into their homes yesterday to shovel out mud and clean-up crews cleared the debris from streets after heavy rains deluged central and southern Europe.

More than 250 residents from a submerged section of Bern, the Swiss capital, were evacuated by helicopter, and Romanian officials said seven people drowned overnight when waters surged into their homes.

The storms have killed 34 people across Europe this week, authorities said yesterday, warning that the number could climb as the missing are accounted for. Worst hit was Romania, with 25 dead and thousands of homes inundated.