GERMANY's flooded towns and cities are poised for more torrential downpours after more than 100 people died in what has been called the "deluge of death."
Weather maps in affected areas of the country are peppered with extreme danger warnings as bizarre thunderstorms prepare to unleash a torrent of rain, raising fears that dams will explode.
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The unsuspecting residents were caught completely off guard by the torrent dubbed "the deluge of death" by Germany's best-selling daily, Bild.
But more downpours are expected to hit the affected areas, as rescuers desperately search for 1,300 missing people as the death toll surpasses 100.
Residents were ordered to evacuate as the rivers rose and German Chancellor Angela Merkel expected "many" more deaths amid mounting concerns of a new disaster as more rains are forecast.
Fears are growing for people living below the Steinbach Reservoir amid warnings that the dam could explode.
'FEARS THAT THE PREY COULD EXPLODE'
And, with an even higher rainfall forecast for western Germany, the mighty River Rhine could rise to dangerous levels.
Flash floods this week followed days of heavy rain in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, turning streams and streets into raging torrents.
Cars and people were swept away and houses collapsed throughout the region.
About two months of rain in the space of two days.
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Today, entire communities are in ruins after rising rivers washed away towns and villages.
Clare Nullis, a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, said: "What made it worse is that the soils were already saturated from previous rains."
Agron Berischa, a 21-year-old decorator from Bad Neuenahr in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, told AFP: "Everything was under water in 15 minutes."
Authorities in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate said 60 people had died there, including at least nine residents of an assisted living center for people with disabilities.
It must be assumed that, given the circumstances, some people did not manage to escape in time.
Frank Rock, head of local government
In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, state officials put the death toll at 43, but warned that the figure could rise further.
Rescue teams rushed in today to help people trapped in their homes in the town of Erftstadt, southwest of Cologne.
Regional authorities said several people died after their houses collapsed due to the sinking, and aerial images showed what appeared to be a huge sinkhole.
The total death toll in Germany reached more than 100 today, local officials said, bringing the total number of flood deaths in Europe to at least 110.
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Frank Rock, the head of county administration, said: "We managed to get 50 people out of their homes last night.
"We know of 15 people who still need to be rescued."
Speaking to German broadcaster n-tv, Rock said authorities did not yet have a precise number of how many had died.
He added: "You have to assume that, given the circumstances, some people did not manage to escape in time."
Authorities said some 1,300 people in Germany were still missing, but warned that the high number could be due to duplication of data and difficulties in reaching people due to broken roads and phone connections.
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