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France faces more rain after storms kill nine people across Europe France faces more rain after storms kill nine people across Europe
(35 minutes later)
France braces for more torrential rain after a week of storms that have killed nine people across northern Europe, submerged streets, closed schools and left people stranded on rooftops. France is braced for more torrential rain after a week of storms killed nine people across northern Europe, submerged streets, closed schools and left people stranded on rooftops.
Eight people have died in Germany and six days of torrential rain in France have caused the Seine and other rivers to burst their banks, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people in riverside towns south of Paris and in the Loire Valley. Eight people have died in Germany and six days of heavy rain in France caused the Seine and other rivers to burst their banks, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people 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.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.
In the small town of Montargis, the water had risen so high that only the tops of cars could be seen peeking 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.
Related: Severe floods around Europe after torrential rain – in pictures Rescue workers have responded to about 10,000 calls and evacuated more than 5,000 people since the weekend.
Rescue workers have responded to about 10,000 calls and evacuated more than 5,000 people since the deluge began at the weekend.
“The situation remains tense and difficult in several areas. We still have many concerns,” said the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, as he visited a crisis control centre in the flooded town of Nemours, south of Paris.“The situation remains tense and difficult in several areas. We still have many concerns,” said the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, as he visited a crisis control centre in the flooded town of Nemours, south of Paris.
Related: Severe floods around Europe after torrential rain – in pictures
Residents 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.Residents 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,” Sylvette Gounaud, a shopworker, said. “The centre of town is totally under water, all the shops are destroyed.”“In 60 years of living here I have never seen this,” Sylvette Gounaud, a shopworker, said. “The centre of town is totally under water, all the shops are destroyed.”
In southern Germany, dangerously swollen rivers have killed several people and severely damaged towns in Bavaria. In southern Germany, dangerously swollen rivers have killed several people and severely damaged Bavarian towns.
Rescue workers found the bodies of three people in a house in Simbach am Inn on Wednesday and police warned that several other people were missing.Rescue workers found the bodies of three people in a house in Simbach am Inn on Wednesday and police warned that several other people were missing.
The force of the water upended cars and washed away parts of the streets, with a thick layer of mud 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.
A woman’s body was discovered caught on a tree trunk in the neighbouring town of Julbach, police said.A woman’s body was discovered caught on a tree trunk in the neighbouring town of Julbach, police said.
On Bavaria’s south-eastern border with Austria, some residents scrambled on to rooftops to escape the waters on Tuesday. On Germany’s south-eastern border with Austria, some residents scrambled onto rooftops to escape the waters on Tuesday.
“The floods came so quickly that people had to escape to the roofs of their houses,” a spokesman for the lower Bavaria police said.“The floods came so quickly that people had to escape to the roofs of their houses,” a spokesman for the lower Bavaria police said.
Four people had also been killed earlier this week in the southern Baden-Württemberg region.Four people had also been killed earlier this week in the southern Baden-Württemberg region.
The outbreak of severe weather began at the weekend with lightning strikes that left several people, including children, injured in Paris and western Germany.The outbreak of severe weather began at the weekend with lightning strikes that left several people, including children, injured in Paris and western Germany.
In France, forecaster Meteo France described the situation as “exceptional, worse than the floods of 1910”, when even central Paris was flooded. Forecaster Meteo France described the situation as “exceptional, worse than the floods of 1910”, when even central Paris was flooded.
In the centre of the capital, the swollen Seine had flooded paths normally used by tourists and was washing around a replica of the Statue of Liberty. In the centre of the capital, the swollen Seine flooded paths normally used by tourists and washed around a replica of the Statue of Liberty.
Authorities were particularly concerned about the rising waters in Longjumeau, 16 miles (25km) south of Paris. About 200 people there spent the night in a gymnasium after being evacuated, and Valls said at least 2,000 more people need to be moved from their homes in the town. Authorities were particularly concerned about the rising waters in Longjumeau, 16 miles (25km) south of Paris, where about 200 people spent the night in a gymnasium after being evacuated, and Valls said at least 2,000 more people need to be moved from their homes in the town.
In the Loire valley, a lake of flood water gathered in front of the Château de Chambord, causing a watery reflection of the much-visited 16th century castle. In the Loire valley, a lake of flood water gathered in front of the Château de Chambord, causing a watery reflection of the much-visited 16th-century castle.
The Loiret region where the chateau is located has seen the average rainfall of six weeks in just three days. The surrounding Loiret region has had six weeks’ rainfall in three days.
The French Open tennis got back on track Wednesday after rain washed out play in Paris earlier in the week, but players hoping to reach the finals face a heavy schedule of matches.The French Open tennis got back on track Wednesday after rain washed out play in Paris earlier in the week, but players hoping to reach the finals face a heavy schedule of matches.
In Austria, where schools and roads have been flooded in recent days, the flood waters receded. Waters have receded in Austria, where schools and roads were flooded in recent days.