IN PICTURES: Torrential rain and flooding leaves trail of destruction across western Germany

The states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) have been worst hit by the storms which have caused rivers to burst their banks and threatened to bring down further homes.

LATEST: Storms leave several dead and many missing in western Germany

As these dramatic pictures and tweets show, the extreme weather is heavily affecting towns and villages across the region.

https://twitter.com/Thomas_Sparrow/status/1415686529972727812?s=20

It's leading to calls from some for urgent action against climate change. 

https://twitter.com/jennytollmann/status/1415567398560837634?s=20

A drone shot (below) captures the flooding in Schuld on Thursday, Rhineland-Palatinate. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa/TNN | Christoph Reichwein

https://twitter.com/trent_murray/status/1415679489053323265?s=20

Rescue workers survey the flooded streets in Solingen, NRW, on Thursday morning. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa/TNN | Gianni Gattus

https://twitter.com/LotharSchueller/status/1415564217319628800?s=20

A car submerged in water in Solingen, NRW. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa/TNN | Gianni Gattus

https://twitter.com/COdendahl/status/1415427109686743051?s=20

Another car buried by debris in Hagen, NRW, on Thursday. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Roberto Pfeil

https://twitter.com/jo_mlr/status/1415586632825245696?s=20

A person standing on scaffolding in Solingen, NRW, on Thursday morning in a flooded street. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa/TNN | Gianni Gattus

https://twitter.com/maltesusen/status/1415588190736502785?s=20

A resident in Hagen, NRW, looks at the damage caused by the severe floods. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Roberto Pfeil

The Bundeswehr (German army) has been called in to assist with the rescue. The picture below shows the army in Hagen, NRW.

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Roberto Pfeil

A fire and rescue employee walking on a flooded street in Kordel, Rhineland-Palatinate, in the middle of the night on Wednesday. 

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Harald Tittel

Are you affected by the floods? Let us know by emailing news@thelocal.de