Almost 1,500 people have been evacuated after the swollen River Seine rose further, raising fears of severe flooding in Paris. The overflowing waters have already swamped riverside paths and shut down a Louvre basement display of Islamic art. Tourist sightseeing boats have been halted, swans are swimming over pavements and rats have been forced up on to the streets.
The Seine’s waters were today expected to peak close to the level which led to widespread flooding in 2016. The world’s most visited museum, the Louvre, was on alert Sunday, with the lower level of its Islamic arts wing closed to visitors. Meanwhile, the iconic statue of an Algerian French soldier named Zouave, which has guarded the river at the Pont d’Alma bridge since 1910, was drenched up to the thighs. READ MORE
