The worst of the rains appear to be over with the flood waters starting to recede across many of the worst affected regions of Western Europe.

Germany has suffered the highest death toll and hundreds of people remain unaccounted for after devastating flash floods destroyed homes, cars, roads and bridges. It has left Arloff resident Monica Decker in a state of shock.

"You don't expect people to die in a flood in Germany," says Decker. "You expect it maybe in poor countries, but you don't expect it here. But it was all too fast, too quick."

READ MORE:

EU launches climate change plan

Olympics give climbing a boost

Spain remembers its COVID-19 victims

Emergency relief supplies and other donations are starting to arrive, with hundreds of volunteers working round the clock in the town of Nuerburg to get help to those most in need. 

The town normally holds major racing events at the world-famous Neurburgring circuit, but has now put its facilities to use for flood relief.

Ingo Boeder, head of racing operations at the Nuerburgring, is impressed by the response.

"If you wanted to see something positive about this whole catastrophe, then it's this wave of readiness to help," said Boeder. "I'm very proud of all of us and especially of the region and the solidarity among us."

Search efforts are also underway in Belgium, where the death toll continues to rise. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited Pepinster, near Liege, the country's worst affected region.  

The royal couple had to comfort to one local resident who couldn't hold back her tears at the damage done to a cafe she owned.

Belgium has announced that Tuesday July 20 will be a national day of mourning for the victims of the floods.

Other nations brace for big weather

Some of the worst flooding is now centred on the Netherlands, where thousands of people were forced to leave their homes on Friday as rising waters burst a dyke and swollen rivers flooded low-lying towns. 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has declared the Limburg region an official disaster zone, opening the way for financial assistance and compensation.

Switzerland is the latest country to be hit by these exceptional storms, with heavy rains hitting the northern slopes of the Alps. There are flood warnings along Lake Luzern, which has started to overflow, with similar problems reported on Lake Biel and Lake Thun.

As the clean-up operations get underway across the region there are questions over the lack of advance warnings. The debate is also growing over the need for more urgent action on climate change to prevent such catastrophes from becoming more common.

READ MORE: Why did Europe's flood warnings so lethally fail?