Flood in Germany: Several dead, many missing after heavy rains | Weather News

Heavy rains lashed parts of western and central Germany, damaging property and disrupting traffic.

At least six people have been killed and many more stranded after heavy rains flooded parts of Germany, destroying homes and disrupting traffic.

Police in the western city of Koblenz told Thursday that four people had died in Ahrweiler district, while another 50 were locked on the roofs of their homes waiting to be rescued.

Most of the missing were on the roofs of at least six houses that were washed away by the floods in Schuld district, when rains caused rivers to burst on its banks, local police said.

Trains, roads, and rivers were disrupted [Friedemann Vogel/EPA]

Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the region after heavy rains disrupted roads, lanes and rivers. Large areas of western and central Germany, as well as neighboring countries, have been severely damaged.

Police say an 82-year-old man died after falling from his floodwaters in the western city of Wuppertal, which was among the worst-hit.

A firefighter drowned Wednesday in a rescue camp in the western German town of Altena, and a missing person in the eastern town of Joehstadt is missing after trying to protect his property from rising water, authorities say.

Heavy rains are expected in southwestern Germany on Thursday, with heavy rains continuing until Friday evening, the German Weather Service warned in a morning news.