Five people dead and thousands evacuated

• Disaster warnings issued across central Europe after heavy flooding following days of steady rain 
• State of emergency declared in six regions of the Czech Republic where almost 3,000 people have been evacuated 
• Water levels are among the worst seen in Europe since the deadly floods of 2002 
• Animals at Prague Zoo moved to higher ground after attraction is partially submerged by overflowing river 
• Several people have been killed since Thursday and more missing

Five people have been killed and thousands have fled their homes as terrifying floods hit cities in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Officials across central Europe issued disaster warnings and scrambled to reinforce flood defences today as rivers swelled by days of heavy rain threatened to burst their banks.

Nine people are also missing in the extreme conditions as offices, schools and homes are all left deserted or completely under water. The historic city of Prague in the Czech Republic is on high alert and the zoo has been evacuated.

The Danube in the southeast German city of Passau is expected to rise to its highest level in 70 years today and a spokesman for the city's crisis centre said the situation has become 'extremely dramatic'. 

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Disaster warnings have been issued across Europe after days of heavy rain. The River Danube, pictured, in Passau, Germany, threatened to burst its banks

Passau is known as the city of three rivers and has been particularly affected by the high waters

Much of Prague Zoo was under water on Monday forcing keepers to move animals to higher ground

The zoo's tigers needed to be tranquilised before being transferred from the flood-hit area

Zoo keepers were working against the clock to move the animals to high ground and safety

Torrential rain has caused widespread flooding and landslides in...

Prague hospital evacuated as floods bring chaos to the city

In Prague, almost 2,700 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas as the country sees its worst flooding in a decade. 

The historic centre is under threat from the rising water and metal walls are being erected in an attempt to keep them at bay.  

Animals at the city's zoo have been moved to higher ground. Keepers had to tranquilise tigers in order to safely move them. 

The zoo is situated on the bank of the river Vltava and in 2002 134 animals were killed during the worst floods the city has ever seen. 

More than 1,000 animals were evacuated when the water rose by 10 metres. 

Czech police said this weekend at least five people had died in this spate of flooding. Firefighters evacuated homes in western regions and in villages outside the capital today and yesterday, rescuing 200 people.

Czech officials said the waters of the Vltava river could reach critical levels in Prague and that special metal walls were being erected to prevent flooding.

The Charles Bridge - normally packed with tourists at this time of year - was closed to the public as were some other popular spots near the river at the foot of Prague Castle.

A mannequin floats down the steam created by the flooded waters in the centre of Grimma

Buildings in Grimma, such as this town information centre, have been flooded by the rising waters

Firefighters and volunteers evacuate residents from the flooded city of Grimma, in Germany

Some areas of the city are only accessible by boat after heavy rains pounded southern and eastern parts of Germany

Rescuers give women piggy-back lifts through the flood waters as Europe faces some of the worst floods it has witnessed in more than a decade 

An elderly woman is evacuated from her flooded home after rescuers transferred her to a waiting van by boat

The village of Innstadt in Lower Bavaria has been flooded, left, causing severe damage to crops and a sign in Passau, right, forbids pedestrians to enter a road flooded by the rising river Inn

Interim Mayor Tomas Hudecek said they were shutting down eight stations of the capital's subway network and urging people not to travel to city.

The mayor said all nursery, elementary and high schools in the Czech capital will be closed today because of anticipated travel problems. 

The dead body of a man was found in the nearby town of Trebenice, Czech public television reported.

Flooding was also reported in Austria and water levels rose in Germany and Poland after heavy rain in central Europe over the past week swelled rivers. 

Underground stations have been closed in Prague has the Vltava river reaches critical levels

Czech soldiers erect metal barriers to protect Prague's historic centre from flooding after days of heavy rain

The flooded Vltava river rushes under the medieval Charles bridge in Prague

A couple wade through the river in Prague as they try to save three kittens hidden in a plastic bag

The subway network in central Prague was halted today due to the weather. 

It is the first time it has been closed since massive floods submerged the city in 2002 and caused billions of dollars of damage in the Czech Republic.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas declared a state of emergency for most of the nation on Sunday and pledged 300 million crowns ($15.11million) for relief efforts.

Troops started putting anti-flood barriers in place in Prague and volunteers helped pile up sandbags in areas popular with tourists in the ancient centre. The landmark Charles Bridge was closed and workers evacuated parts of Prague zoo.

Levels on the Vltava river that cuts through Prague's centre continued to rise today. 

Earlier, a woman was killed in the same town after a summer cottage collapsed in the raging water. 

Residents wade through the flooded streets of the historic city centre in Passau, Germany

A boy paddles on his inflatable mattress through the flooded streets of Passau

A hotel entrance sign is flooded in the centre of Passau as the water from three rivers burst their banks

Debris floats on the flood waters in the town centre as resident watch from their window

Thousands of people have had to be evacuated from their homes across the country, mainly in the north and the south.

In Prague, authorities have ordered the evacuation of the parts of the city's zoo located by the river. 

Also patients from a Prague hospital have been moved to a higher ground.

In Germany, where at least four people have died or are missing, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised federal support for affected areas and said the army would be deployed if necessary.

The water level had risen by at least five meters in Munich. 

Separately, at least three other people were reportedly missing. At least one person died and two were missing in Austria near Salzburg.

Only lampposts and the tops of table umbrellas can be seen above the flood waters in Passau

The River Inn has risen to window height. Angela Merkel said she will deploy the Army if necessary

Austrian rescuers use boats to reach stranded residents in the town of Ach

Residents in Walschleben, Germany, try to protect their homes with sandbags

Several cities including Chemnitz in the east of Germany, and Passau and Rosenheim in the south, issued disaster warnings.

Passau, which is located at the confluence of three rivers, could see waters rise above record levels of 2002, said Mayor Juergen Dupper.

German news agency dpa reported that large stretches of the Rhine, Main and Neckar rivers have been closed to ship traffic.

Evacuations are also taking place in neighbouring Austria and Switzerland.

Rivers also were spilling over their banks in some rural areas of south-western Poland, and people have been evacuated. 

Meteorologists are predicting the rainfall will ease in the coming days.

The River Danube has risen so high that it almost touches a bridge over the water

Roads in Passau are threatening to become impassable as the Danube nears record height

Crowds wade through the water and take pictures as the town centre is hit by floods

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