Germany's Angela Merkel is worried about climate change after the flooding in Europe. She is horrified by the damage across large parts of the continent. She visited hard-hit areas in Germany and listened to local residents. She said: "It's shocking. I can pretty much say that the German language does not have words to describe the destruction." Ms Merkel said: "We have to be faster in the fight against climate change."
Torrential rain caused many rivers to burst their banks. This caused flash floods that washed away houses, roads and bridges across Germany, Belgium and other countries. The death toll is now 190 and many people are missing. Towns are covered in debris and are unrecognisable. Ms Merkel said it was "surreal". The clean-up operation will take years. A politician questioned Germany's preparedness for floods and the effectiveness of flood defences.