Flood in Paris Forces Louvre Museum to Close

Following heavy rainfall across Europe, the water level of the Seine River in Paris reached its highest point in three decades, overflowing its banks and leading to the closure of the Louvre Museum and the transfer of artworks to the museum's underground storage. On Friday, June 14, the French news agency reported that Paris residents were warned to avoid the banks of the Seine, with expectations that the water level could rise to six meters. The report mentions the death of one person in southern Paris who drowned in the raging waters of the Seine. Additionally, in the town of Zimbach in southern Germany, another person was killed due to flooding, bringing the total number of flood victims in the country this week to ten. Meanwhile, Ségolène Royal, the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Energy in the French government, indicated that there are fears that more bodies may be discovered in the villages of the country as the water recedes. Some towns and villages in central France have recently experienced the heaviest flooding in a century, forcing over five thousand residents to evacuate their homes. Furthermore, water and electricity have been cut off to more than 19,000 homes in these areas. In Paris, emergency flood barriers have been placed along the banks of the Seine, and suburban train services passing along the river have been suspended. The Louvre and Orsay museums are located along the Seine, with the former being the most visited museum in the world and the latter housing the most valuable collection of Impressionist art. The French news agency reports that Orsay museum officials are also preparing for the worst, having moved many artworks to higher floors of the museum. Meteorological organizations predict continued rainfall in France and Germany over the next 24 hours.