With waters already passing the levels of 2016 flooding, Paris is scrambling to face even higher water by an expected crest on Friday.
Starting tomorrow, service on the riverside RER C line will be suspended at stations from Austerlitz to Avenue Foch due to water rising to track levels. Museums along the river are rushing to carry out emergency plans, including moving artworks from vulnerable areas. That’s especially an issue for the Musee d’Orsay, which fronts directly on the river and whose main exhibit areas are below street level.
Submerged pedestrian and vehicle areas along the river are, of course, closed, and barges on the river have been evacuated or moved to more secure moorings. The city has warned pedestrians to stay away from the riverbanks, especially when it is windy, and warned that rising water tables might flood basements even far from the river.
The flooding is due mainly to extremely heavy rains in the area, and especially in areas upstream of Paris. The Marne is also rising, which could add to the problem. However, no one is expecting anything like the ‘Flood of the Century’ in 1910, which left Paris looking like Venice for several days (below).
