France, insurers fear a major flood of the Seine

The extensive campaign of management simulation of a flood of the Seine conducted in March, is today justified. "On 3 June 2016, the level of the Seine reached 5.58 m in Paris. A 6-meter-peak is expected this afternoon," said the Agence France-Presse.

Although the rising water is not yet comparable to that of 1910 when the level of the Seine reached 8.42 m, the recent flood has nonetheless caused extensive damage. To date, there are over 19 000 houses without electricity and 3 900 evacuees. The road and rail traffic have also been disrupted while the economic and commercial centers located along the river have been closed.

The Louvre and Orsay, which respectively comprise 460 000 and 3 300 artworks, are closing their doors to the public in order to move the collections located in flood zones to the upper floors.

Following the floods, insurers are expecting to deal with about 40.000 home and auto insurance claims. For its part, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned that if the level of the Seine reached 8 meters, the direct economic losses would amount to 30 billion EUR (33.45 billion USD).