The Danube's water level in the German city of Passau has reached a record high of 12.2 metres on Monday (June 03), last seen in the 16th century, according to German media reports.
As onlookers gathered at a vista point overlooking the city, most if not all the streets below were submerged in water, with rescue workers making their way through town by motorboat.
"This is the worst case scenario for Passau, also for the city's tourism industry," said local residentMichael Kaeser.
"Sure, right now we have tourists coming because of the floods but for the people here, it's absolutely terrible, especially for restaurant and hotel owners," Kaeser said.
Many homes in this city on the Austrian border can only be reached by boat and local authorities have declared a state of emergency for the region.
Other areas in the southern German state of Bavaria are also hit by flooding.
The busy A8 motorway connecting Munich and the Austrian city of Salzburg is close
