Germany and Belgium floods: More than 60 dead and over 70 missing after heavy rain - Fouvty

Huses have been washed away with many others in danger of collapsing, dozens of people are missing or stranded and 200,000 properties were without power after two days of heavy rain causes rivers to burst their banks across western Germany and neighbouring Belgium.

What is behind flash flooding in Europe?

More than 60 people have died and over 70 are missing after record rainfall triggered severe floods in western Germany and neighbouring Belgium.

Fifty-eight of the fatalities were in Germany, with Chancellor Angela Merkel calling the situation a "catastrophe" as she expressed solidarity with those affected by the flooding. In Belgium, eight deaths have been reported.

The dead included at least 30 in North Rhine-Westphalia state, and 28 in Rhineland-Palatinate state to the south.

Image:A flood-affected area in Schuld, Germany

At least 18 deaths were in the district of Ahrweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate state after the Ahr river burst its banks, bringing down six houses and causing widespread devastation.

Up to 70 people were reported missing after properties collapsed overnight in the Ahrweiler village of Schuld.

'We were told our house could collapse'

Rooftop rescue for Germany flood victims

Authorities said 15 deaths had been reported in the district of Euskirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia state.

There were also fatalities elsewhere in North Rhine-Westphalia, including two firefighters. Four people died in separate incidents after basements were flooded in Cologne, Kamen and Wuppertal, where authorities warned that a dam could burst.