Thousands flee as floods hit Ukraine and Romania

Floods described as the worst in a century have killed at least 13 people in Ukraine. The authorities say water levels are dangerously high on the Prut and Dnestr rivers after five days of non-stop rain.

More than 20,000 homes have been flooded.

It is much the same story in neighbouring Romania where four people died when a house collapsed into swirling flood waters in northeastern Maramures county.

Around 200 villages have been evacuated as rain damaged thousands of houses and swamped at least 19,000 hectares of farmland.

Weathermen say the situation could get worse as swollen rivers from Ukraine are expected to hit Romania later.

Floods also hit parts of west and south Germany, affecting mainly the Dortmund area in North Rhine-Westphalia. Four people were injured in a motorway accident during storms in the south of the country.

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