Rising rivers menaced swaths of Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria Tuesday, as floodwaters inundated historic cities and forced mass evacuations of low-lying areas.

The floods are feared to be the worst since 2002, when parts of Germany and the Czech Republic were devastated and communities in Austria, Slovakia, Russia and Romania were affected.

Seven deaths have been reported in the Czech Republic, while southern and eastern areas of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony, are also badly impacted by recent heavy rains.

Images from Passau, a city in southern Bavaria where the Danube River is joined by two other rivers, show dirty brown water running through the streets of the historic old town after water levels passed a 500-year-old record.

Floodwaters in Bavaria are now receding but the crest on the Danube continues east into Austria and could threaten cities such as Vienna, in Austria, and Bratislava, in Slovakia, said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.

Large parts of Meissen, a town built on the banks of the Elbe River in Saxony, were also inundated after flood defenses were breached overnight Monday to Tuesday.

Those with homes and businesses were moving valuables and trying to sandbag their properties to protect them from the rising waters as the town’s evacuation was ordered.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited towns in the region Tuesday and promised 100 million euros ($130 million) in emergency aid for affected areas.

The German military, government agencies and local authorities are helping with efforts to evacuate residents and protect properties.

The heaviest rain fell over Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland and the western Czech Republic from Saturday through Monday, with total rainfall over those days well over 3 inches for many locations, said Miller.