Soldiers have dropped sandbags from military helicopters to reinforce river embankments and evacuated residents as the worst flooding in years spreads across Central Europe, taking lives and destroying homes.

More than a dozen people are dead after severe and historic flooding in parts of Europe over the weekend overtook several towns with some places now seeing water levels recede, but more rain is expected to arrive.

Floodwaters have ravaged cities throughout Central Europe this past week, wreaking havoc and leaving everything in a pool of murky water.