The flood of the Seine has reached its peak: 6 meters, the highest level in the last 35 years. In Paris, the waters skim the arches of the bridges and the museums run for cover, bringing to safety the works exhibited on the lower floors. There are three confirmed victims to date: a man swept away by the current while on horseback on the riverside and two women. The bad weather warning now appears to have ended, but according to the Minister of the Environment Segolène Royal the balance could worsen when the waters retreat: "The recession of the waters will be much slower than the growth of these hours - reads a note from the ministry - and this will be the key point to manage".
I closed the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and all the premises overlooking the river. The museums will ban tourists from entering until Tuesday, to allow some masterpieces to be moved and secured. The flood of the Seine had not reached such heights for decades, and according to experts it could still grow up to 6,50 metres. Numbers however lower than the great flood of 1910 with its 8,62 metres.
The situation pushed the French president Francois Hollande to announce the state of natural disaster, which will be recognized by the cabinet on Wednesday. In some places the flood of the Seine has already broken its banks and there are fears of a flood in the vicinity of some important cultural centres. The levels of other French rivers are also worrying: the waters of the Loire have invaded the houses and some famous castles in the area, while the flood of the Loing has overwhelmed the historic center of the town of Nemours, evacuated on Tuesday. However, the most serious situation is recorded in Germany, where 11 people died due to bad weather in the south of the country.
