Paris evacuates Louvre as flood waters threaten artworks
Officials at the Louvre have taken emergency action to protect the museum’s priceless collection, as levels of the River Seine rise to a threatening level.
Torrential rain has led to flooding of the mighty river which flows through the heart of Paris, with water levels rising over five metres above normal levels.
Officials closed the Louvre on Thursday so the artworks could be moved to safety, and the museum will remain closed today to give staff a chance to evacuate tens of thousands of paintings and sculptures in the museum’s underground store room.
The Musée d'Orsay, which sits on the opposite bank of the river, was also closed early on Thursday night as a precautionary measure against the floods.
Water levels were forecast to peak overnight, with emergency barriers being put up all along the Seine. The river has flooded before, but this year’s deluge is said to be worse than usual, with some reports comparing it to the disastrous 1910 Paris floods.
Thousands have been evacuated as the French President Francois Hollande is to declare a state of natural disaster in areas worst hit by flooding.
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