By Andy Eckhardt & John Newland, NBC News, June 3, 2013

Floodwaters from heavy rains swamped five countries in Europe and threatened others, leaving at least six people dead and eight missing.

Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have been affected, with officials in the Czech capital, Prague, closing the subway system, evacuating thousands of homes and warning other people not to come into the city. Slovakia and Hungary were preparing flood defenses on the Danube River.

In Germany, rain levels that reached record highs in May contributed to widespread flooding across southern and eastern parts of the country. In the southern state of Bavaria, more than 20,000 firefighters and other rescue workers were battling rising water levels [.....]

Photo credit: Roman Vondrous / CTK via AP
Caption: A couple in a Prague suburb carry three kittens in a plastic bag through floodwaters on Sunday.