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Devastating floods have hit parts of western Europe after record rainfall caused swollen rivers to burst their banks. At least 100 people have died in Germany and 22 deaths have been reported in Belgium.

Politicians in Germany have been quick to blame the flooding on climate change when - in the past - they may have been more cautious linking extreme weather to global warming.  It's a sign - perhaps - of shifting attitudes to the impact of the crisis. 

Professor Anita Engels is a climate sociologist at Hamburg University in Germany but she's currently at her parents' house in Leverkusen, one of the places affected by the flooding.

Photo: Flood damage in Schuld, Germany. Credit: Reuters