More than 100 people have died after severe floods devastated parts of western Germany and Belgium.

Authorities have not been able to get in touch with hundreds more because mobile phone networks have collapsed in flooded areas of Germany. That also mean families can’t track their loved ones.

The rising death toll marks Germany’s largest mass loss of life in years. As Esme Nicholson reports from Berlin, Germany’s environment minister, Svenja Schulze, tweeted today that “Climate Change has arrived in Germany,” in response to news footage showing destruction and desperate families perching on rooftops.

South of Cologne, in western Germany, police officer Patrick Reichelt told public broadcaster ARD that the rescue services are struggling to keep up.

Patrick Reichelt – Police officer assisting rescue efforts near Cologne
An entire district of the ancient city of Trier was evacuated, including a hospital and its patients, some of whom were just out of surgery.

Some of the worst damage has occurred in the wine region of Ahrweiler, where entire villages have been cut off by torrents of floodwater.