Louvre moves art works as Seine surges
ADVERTISEMENTThe Louvre museum in Paris has closed its basement display of Islamic art following a sharp rise in the level of the river Seine.
It is a protective measure. A large part of the building borders the river.
A crisis unit is monitoring the situation, the Louvre said in a statement.
It did not say whether it is moving artworks from the area.
Are other parts of the capital affected?
Yes. The river has already risen too high for the French capital's iconic riverboats to pass underneath the river's bridges.
Tourists and locals are being advised to steer clear of the banks for fear of being caught by swirling water.
Six train stations near the river, including hte busy St Michel in the Latin Quarter, have also been forced to shut.
What is the forecast?
They are saying further flooding could lift the river by six metres in total. The water level is rising up to two centimetres an hour.
Crunch-time is expected on Friday or Saturday. More heavy rainfall is forecast for Thursday.