Southwest France hit by heavy floods

Southwestern France was hit by heavy floods on Monday following days of torrential rain.

The heavy flood affected power supplies making hundred of people evacuate the affected areas.

The France Meteo weather service put seven departments on flood alert on Monday, including Charente-Maritime, two areas along the Loire river, the Somme and Oise regions in northern France and the Seine-et-Marne region east of Paris.

In Paris, many parts of the quays along the Seine have been inaccessible for days after the river broke its banks, but water levels, at 4.35 metres on Monday morning, remained well below recent highs of 5.88 metres seen in January 2018 and 6.10 metres in June 2016.

Along the river Marne, which flows into the Seine on the eastern edge of the capital, the river broke its banks in several towns, notably in Conde-Sainte-Libaire and Esbly, where several streets were flooded and elevated walkways were built.

MTO/Reuters