Europe's wild weather continues as German airport is submerged in floodwater and thunderstorms lash Italy - while France and Spain brace for scorching 40C heat dome

The weather on the continent in recent months has been characterised by a north-south divide, with southern Europe suffering from extreme heat as northern and central Europe is battered by powerful storms and deadly flooding. German authorities said on Thursday that heavy rain led to dozens of flight cancellations at Frankfurt airport, the country's busiest and a major European hub. The storm swept over southwest Germany late Wednesday, dumping huge quantities of water and reportedly unleashing over 25,000 bolts of lightning in about an hour. The airport said large quantities of water accumulated on the tarmac Wednesday evening and ground handling was suspended for more than two hours, German news agency dpa reported.