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| Europe floods: Seine could peak at six metres as Louvre closes doors | Europe floods: Seine could peak at six metres as Louvre closes doors |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Flood waters flowing through Paris could mean the river Seine peaks at six metres on Friday, officials have said, as the Louvre museum closed its doors to the public to allow priceless artworks to be moved up from its basement. | |
| After days of torrential rains, the French government has issued an orange alert for central Paris, with the Seine’s water level bursting through five metres. Its record high was 8.6 metres during the devastating floods of 1910. | After days of torrential rains, the French government has issued an orange alert for central Paris, with the Seine’s water level bursting through five metres. Its record high was 8.6 metres during the devastating floods of 1910. |
| Related: Three soldiers dead and six missing after army truck overturns in Texas creek | Related: Three soldiers dead and six missing after army truck overturns in Texas creek |
| Officials at the Louvre said about 250,000 artworks were located in flood-risk areas, mostly in basement storerooms. The art was hastily being moved upstairs, a move officials described as precautionary. | |
| “I am really sorry, but we’re closed today,” a Louvre employee told visitors. “We have to evacuate masterpieces from the basement.” | |
| Both the Louvre and, on the opposite bank of the Seine, the Musée d’Orsay, which holds the world’s greatest collection of impressionist masterpieces, have detailed emergency flooding plans. | Both the Louvre and, on the opposite bank of the Seine, the Musée d’Orsay, which holds the world’s greatest collection of impressionist masterpieces, have detailed emergency flooding plans. |
| Both museums organised drills this year to deal with floods. In an alert scenario, the Louvre has 72 hours and the Musée d’Orsay 96 hours to get works held in their underground reserves to safety. | Both museums organised drills this year to deal with floods. In an alert scenario, the Louvre has 72 hours and the Musée d’Orsay 96 hours to get works held in their underground reserves to safety. |
| In one such exercise in March, the Louvre evacuated the whole of the underground section of its new Islamic art galleries in a day. The museum, which has vast underground stores, said it is equipped with anti-flooding pumps and watertight doors. | In one such exercise in March, the Louvre evacuated the whole of the underground section of its new Islamic art galleries in a day. The museum, which has vast underground stores, said it is equipped with anti-flooding pumps and watertight doors. |
| A week of storms has killed at least 12 people across northern Europe, submerged streets, closed schools and left many stranded on rooftops. | A week of storms has killed at least 12 people across northern Europe, submerged streets, closed schools and left many stranded on rooftops. |
| Ten people have died in Germany and six days of heavy rain in France forced the evacuation of thousands in riverside towns south of Paris and in the Loire valley. | Ten people have died in Germany and six days of heavy rain in France forced the evacuation of thousands in riverside towns south of Paris and in the Loire valley. |
| The body of an 86-year-old woman was found in her flooded house in Souppes-sur-Loing in central France, where some towns have been hit by the worst flooding in more than 100 years. A man on horseback died after he was swept away in a swollen river in Evry-Gregy-sur-Yerre, south-east of Paris. | The body of an 86-year-old woman was found in her flooded house in Souppes-sur-Loing in central France, where some towns have been hit by the worst flooding in more than 100 years. A man on horseback died after he was swept away in a swollen river in Evry-Gregy-sur-Yerre, south-east of Paris. |
| The French environment minister, Ségolène Royal, said she feared more bodies would be found as waters recede in French villages. | The French environment minister, Ségolène Royal, said she feared more bodies would be found as waters recede in French villages. |
| In the small town of Montargis, the water had risen so high that only the roofs of cars could be seen above the surface along the high street. | In the small town of Montargis, the water had risen so high that only the roofs of cars could be seen above the surface along the high street. |
| Rescue workers have responded to about 10,000 calls and evacuated more than 5,000 people since last weekend. A “natural disaster” will be formally declared next week for the most affected areas, President François Hollande has said. | Rescue workers have responded to about 10,000 calls and evacuated more than 5,000 people since last weekend. A “natural disaster” will be formally declared next week for the most affected areas, President François Hollande has said. |
| Related: Severe floods around Europe after torrential rain – in pictures | Related: Severe floods around Europe after torrential rain – in pictures |
| People in Nemours were evacuated after the Loing river burst its banks and submerged the high street. Rescuers had to use dinghies to reach stranded residents in streets turned into rivers. | People in Nemours were evacuated after the Loing river burst its banks and submerged the high street. Rescuers had to use dinghies to reach stranded residents in streets turned into rivers. |
| “In 60 years of living here I have never seen this,” said Sylvette Gounaud, a shopworker. “The centre of town is totally underwater, all the shops are destroyed.” | “In 60 years of living here I have never seen this,” said Sylvette Gounaud, a shopworker. “The centre of town is totally underwater, all the shops are destroyed.” |
| In southern Germany, dangerously swollen rivers have severely damaged Bavarian towns. Six people have been killed in and around Simbach am Inn, including three women from the same family – a mother, grandmother and daughter – who had been trapped in their house. Two other elderly people were found dead in their homes, and a woman’s body was discovered caught on a tree trunk in the neighbouring town of Julbach, police said. | In southern Germany, dangerously swollen rivers have severely damaged Bavarian towns. Six people have been killed in and around Simbach am Inn, including three women from the same family – a mother, grandmother and daughter – who had been trapped in their house. Two other elderly people were found dead in their homes, and a woman’s body was discovered caught on a tree trunk in the neighbouring town of Julbach, police said. |
| The force of the water upended cars and washed away parts of the streets; a thick layer of mud was left throughout the town by the subsiding water. Huge piles of wood and rubbish deposited by the torrent were visible next to badly damaged homes and offices. | The force of the water upended cars and washed away parts of the streets; a thick layer of mud was left throughout the town by the subsiding water. Huge piles of wood and rubbish deposited by the torrent were visible next to badly damaged homes and offices. |
| Earlier this week, four people had been killed in the southern Baden-Württemberg region. | Earlier this week, four people had been killed in the southern Baden-Württemberg region. |
| A further two people have died in flooding in eastern Romania, including a man who was ripped from his bicycle by a torrent of water in the eastern village of Ruginesti. | |
| The outbreak of severe weather began at the weekend with lightning strikes that left several people, including children, injured in Paris and western Germany. Forecasters in France and Germany have warned of more downpours over the next 24 hours. | The outbreak of severe weather began at the weekend with lightning strikes that left several people, including children, injured in Paris and western Germany. Forecasters in France and Germany have warned of more downpours over the next 24 hours. |