Soldiers and volunteers in southwestern Poland have laid sandbags near swollen rivers around the city of Wrocław to protect homes and businesses after days of flooding across Central Europe. Poland joins Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania in being hard hit by floods following record rains in the region starting last Thursday.

A massive flood wave moving across Central Europe is threatening new areas and raising concerns among residents and officials.

At least four people died in eastern Romania after torrential rain caused flooding, the country's emergency response unit said on Saturday, as river levels surged in several other central and eastern European nations following days of heavy rainfall.