Europe Floods: Dresden Set For River Elbe Peak

The German city of Dresden is bracing for the worst floods in a decade.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and the army drafted in to try to secure buildings with sandbags.

Towns and cities lining the river Elbe are in the firing line of the powerful torrents of water now flowing through south-east Germany.

After the city of Prague in the Czech Republic appeared to dodge a bullet, Dresden could be next.

Outside the ancient Church of Our Lady, fire crews are in position. The river has already burst its banks, but the question is whether the water really manages to make inroads into the historic heart of the city.

Water levels are at least seven metres higher than normal and across the city's main bridges locals gather to gawp at the angry river.

The next 24 hours will be critical.

Tour guide Stefan Fichte normally shows sightseers round the ancient buildings which survived the allied bombardment in the Second World War. But it is the forces of nature which are the star attraction now.

"This shows how powerful nature can be when you see what has happened to the river," he said.

Just a few miles away on the outskirts of Pirna the river has burst its banks, leaving street after street of 500-year-old buildings under water.

Ute Pitschmann took over the Refugium pub six years ago. Now the water is so deep she cannot even wade through it to reach the front door of the pub and go inside.

She said: "I took over the pub six years ago and it's my baby. Now it's ruined. The buildings are made of sandstone and will take months to dry out."

In Pirna and Dresden and across south east Germany they knew the floods were coming and businesses in the flood zone closed down in preparation.

Artefacts at museums and art galleries in Dresden have been moved to higher floors as a precaution.

But in Pirna alone, more than 8,000 people have been evacuated. Across central Europe tens of thousands of people have been affected.

Jekatherina Nikitin, spokeswoman for the Mayor of Pirna, said: "People were well prepared and the alarm had been raised to evacuate and for people to move stuff from shops.

"We had floods in 2002 and 2006 so people knew what to do."