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Germany's leader has her fears about climate change after visiting the devastation by the severe flooding in Europe. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she horrified by the destruction across swathes of her country. She visited some of the hardest-hit areas in Germany and to accounts of the disaster from local residents. She told reporters: "It's shocking. I can pretty much that the German language does not have words to the destruction that has been ." Ms Merkel said the world had to its efforts to tackle the climate crisis. She said: "We must . We have to faster in the fight against climate change."

Torrential rains many of Europe's major rivers to and overflow last week. Many their banks and caused flash floods in adjacent towns and villages. The floodwaters away houses, roads and bridges across Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The death toll at 190, with many more people missing. Towns are now in debris. The floods many parts of towns beyond recognition, which Ms Merkel as being "surreal". Armin Laschet, the premier of the flood-stricken state of North-Rhine Westphalia, said the clean-up operation would "years". He Germany's preparedness for floods and the effectiveness of flood defences.