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Catastrophe

France: Flooding peaks in Paris

January 29, 2018

The engorged Seine River leveled out at a height of 5.8 meters in the French capital and is not expected to recede until Tuesday. Although Paris can now start cleaning up, towns downstream aren't in the clear yet.

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Flooding near the Seine River near the Notre-Dame in Paris, France
Image: picture-alliance/Zumapress/Chen Yichen

Flood waters swamp historic riverbanks in Paris

Floodwaters peaked in Paris on Monday, with the Seine River topping out several meters above its normal level.

Flood monitoring agency Vigicrues said the water levels in Paris should start to recede on Tuesday.

Read more: Act now to protect millions from floods — study

Flooding on the Seine River in Paris, France
It could take a week until the floodwaters recedeImage: Getty Images/AFP/G. van der Hasselt

What we know so far

  • The water level on the Seine stabilized at 5.82 meters (19 feet) near the Paris-Austerlitz train station. according to Vigicrues.
  • France saw almost double the amount of normal rainfall during December and January, according to national weather agency Meteo France.
  • Police have cautioned against people swimming or canoeing in the Seine. In certain Parisian suburbs, however, people used small boats to escape their homes.
Flooding on the Seine River in Paris, France
The flooding caused traffic disruptions as lower walkways along the river were swamped with waterImage: Getty Images/AFP/L. Marin

Historic rainfall: Meteo France said in a statement on Monday that this December and January have been France's wettest for 50 years.

Second major Seine flood in two years: Parisian authorities and residents could breathe a small sigh of relief, as the peak height came in below the initial projections last week. The river stopped short of the 6.1 meter high it reached during the 2016 floods when artworks had to be evacuated from the Louvre. Monday's figure is still also well below the historic 8.62 meters it reached during the flood of 1910.

Art museums on alert: The Louvre was still on alert this year, keeping its lower level closed off to visitors. The Musee d'Orsay and Orangerie galleries also took flooding precautions.

Flooding on the Seine River in Paris, France
Around 1,500 people have already been evacuated from their homes in the greater metropolitan area around ParisImage: picture-alliance/Zumapress/Chen Yichen

Danger downriver: Although Paris appears to be in the clear, authorities warned towns downstream of the Seine, including the Normandy region, to take precautions. The surging floodwaters have already damaged 242 towns along the river and tributaries.