At least 12 people have been killed in severe flooding that has swamped a large part of central Europe. The high water is now shifting north from Prague to eastern Germany. The city of Dresden is inundated. It was last deluged by flood water in 2002. In the German state of Saxony around ten thousand people have been evacuated from their homes. Mindful of a looming election, Chancellor Angela Merkel was swiftly on the scene.