THE FLOOD DISTRICT OF DRESDEN LAUBEGAST IS SEEN IN AN AERIAL VIEW, 2002-08-16 (photo)

The flood houses of Dresden's district Laubegast at the Elbe river is seen in an aerial view August 16, 2002. The worst floods in at least 150 years drove tens of thousands from their homes across eastern Germany on Friday as volunteers mounted a desperate battle to protect the historic centre of the city of Dresden. Officials said they saw no end yet to the rising water and feared that landmarks of Baroque Dresden, destroyed by British and U.S. bombers in 1945 and only properly rebuilt in the past decade, might be swamped. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch FAB