Paris Seine Water Level Reaches 34-Years Record

PARIS (Sputnik) — The water level of the Seine rose to 5.55 meters (18 feet) at 07:00 a.m. [05:00 GMT], thus reaching the 34-years record, the Vigicrue said. Lower embankments of the river where the movement of vehicles usually occurs is flooded. For security reasons, the movement of vessels on Seine is stopped. The movement of trains in the central part of the city on the transport network integrated in the Paris commuter train line is also suspended.

On Thursday, heavy rains led to waters rising in northern France, as well as Belgium and Germany. Heavy rains led to waters rising in northern France, as well as Belgium and Germany. As an average 20-day precipitation amount fell on France, rivers Loire, Seine and Marne burst the banks and French President Francois Hollande said that the French government will declare state of emergency in the regions most affected by severe flooding at the next week's Cabinet meeting.

Famous museums of the Louvre and Orsay are closed for visits on Friday as the museum staff moves the collections stored on the lower floors to the upper floors as a precautionary measure.

According to the service, the Seine water level is expected to grow in the coming hours and to reach its peak to 5.70 to 6 meters in the second half of the day. The experts noted that the situation in Paris nevertheless remains under control and is not critical.

Earlier in the day, French BFM TV Channel reported more than 19,000 homes left without electricity as a result of heavy flooding in central France. Thousands of residents of small towns have been evacuated from their homes as a result of floods and according to the French Interior Ministry's preliminary data, two elderly people fell victims of the floods.

In 1982 the water level of the Seine rose to 6.15 meters, and the current record was set in 1910 when the Seine level reached 8.62 meters.