Much of the destruction is centered in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd in the East Württemberg region. Authorities said a volunteer firefighter was killed while trying to rescue a flooding victim - the man he was trying to save is listed as missing.

Separately, police said one person died in an underground car park in the town of Weißbach after it became flooded with rainwater.

The storm was reportedly centered in the Ostalb district near the state border with Bavaria. Numerous vehicles were reportedly underwater and emergency services had to rescue stranded motorists from their vehicles.

Authorities also reported rising flood waters trapping people in houses and businesses with roads closed in the chaos. A state government spokesman told the DPA news agency early Monday that reliable casualty figures weren't available. But he said numerous resources had been deployed in the region as rescue efforts continued.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Bad weather warning Several parts of Germany experienced rainy and stormy weather this weekend, with many areas submerged in water. Transport services were affected by landslides and flooding in several regions of the country.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Lightning strikes during football match At least 35 people, including children, were injured after lightning struck a football pitch in Hoppstädten, in Germany's southwestern state of Rhineland-Palatinate. A 45-year-old referee at the game was directly hit. Doctors succeeded in reviving him at the hospital.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Water on the streets Heavy rains in Nürtingen, in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, caused water to fill up in the town's low-lying roads. Firefighters and rescue personnel spent a busy night clearing mud and sludge from roads.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Rescue gone wrong Three men were trying to release their birds from an aviary when they were caught unawares by the rising water level. They climbed onto the roof of the birdhouse and were later rescued by firefighters.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Hailstorms in Bavaria The Bavarian town of Hemau witnessed severe hailstorms. Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse are the other German states affected by "Elvira," a low-pressure condition over central Europe.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Lightning strikes in France, Poland At least 11 children were injured when lightning struck a park in the French capital on Saturday. In Poland, lightning struck and killed a 40-year-old mountaineer in the Beskid region. Three others were struck by lightning in the same area.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Honorable rescue efforts Rescue efforts continued into the nights, as many people were stranded and needed help over the weekend. A small town in the eastern part of Baden-Württemberg experienced flooded roads and destroyed property.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Heavy storms rip through neighborhoods The town of Braunsbach in Baden-Württemberg was devastated by storms over the weekend, when heavy rain and flash floods uprooted trees and destroyed residential property. Cars and trucks were carried away in the floods, and smashed into nearby homes and businesses.

Devastating storms thrash Germany Rescue efforts continue On Monday morning, rescue personnel continued their efforts to clean up towns affected by the destructive storms. Brave men and women dug through debris as high as houses to help those in need.

Devastating storms thrash Germany More storms to come Meteorological experts have forecasted more bad weather for the coming days. Storms and heavy rain are expected to occur almost all over Germany well into next week. Author: Manasi Gopalakrishnan, Shay Meinecke



jar/jr (dpa, AFP)