Photos: Deadly flooding in western Europe
Two brothers embrace Monday, July 19, in front of their parents' home, which was destroyed by flooding in Altenahr, Germany.
Boris Roessler/picture alliance/Getty Images

In pictures: Deadly flooding in western Europe

Updated 1627 GMT (0027 HKT) July 19, 2021

Two brothers embrace Monday, July 19, in front of their parents' home, which was destroyed by flooding in Altenahr, Germany.
Boris Roessler/picture alliance/Getty Images

Severe flooding caused by historic rainfall has led to dozens of deaths in western Europe, and hundreds of people are missing.

"In some areas we have not seen this much rainfall in 100 years,'' Andreas Friedrich, a German weather service spokesman, told CNN.

Shocking images of the devastation in Germany and Belgium showed entire villages underwater, with cars wedged in between collapsed buildings and debris. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland have also experienced flooding.