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| Heavy Rains Cause Deadly Floods in France and Germany | Heavy Rains Cause Deadly Floods in France and Germany |
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| PARIS — Torrential rains have caused deadly flooding in central and northeastern France this week, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people, some on boats or kayaks, and threatening works of art stored in Paris’s most celebrated museums. | PARIS — Torrential rains have caused deadly flooding in central and northeastern France this week, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people, some on boats or kayaks, and threatening works of art stored in Paris’s most celebrated museums. |
| A man on horseback was swept away by floodwaters on Thursday and found dead in Évry-Grégy-sur-Yerre, 30 miles southeast of Paris, the authorities in the Seine-et-Marne administrative department, where the town is located, said. In Germany, heavy rains claimed the lives of nine people. | A man on horseback was swept away by floodwaters on Thursday and found dead in Évry-Grégy-sur-Yerre, 30 miles southeast of Paris, the authorities in the Seine-et-Marne administrative department, where the town is located, said. In Germany, heavy rains claimed the lives of nine people. |
| The heavy rains caused the Seine in Paris to rise 18 feet above its typical level by Thursday evening, flooding the lower embankments and shutting several roads but causing no significant damage. The level is still far from the record of 1910, however, when the river rose 26 feet above its regular level. | The heavy rains caused the Seine in Paris to rise 18 feet above its typical level by Thursday evening, flooding the lower embankments and shutting several roads but causing no significant damage. The level is still far from the record of 1910, however, when the river rose 26 feet above its regular level. |
| Nonetheless, the city authorities advised people to stay away from the banks of the river and part of Paris’s commuter train system that runs below ground along the Seine was shut as a preventive measure. | Nonetheless, the city authorities advised people to stay away from the banks of the river and part of Paris’s commuter train system that runs below ground along the Seine was shut as a preventive measure. |
| The Louvre announced that it would be closed on Friday to move, as a precautionary measure, works of art in areas vulnerable to flooding. | The Louvre announced that it would be closed on Friday to move, as a precautionary measure, works of art in areas vulnerable to flooding. |
| The Musée d’Orsay, in a former train station on the Left Bank near the Seine, closed early to put in place a flood-protection plan that provides for swift evacuation of the museum’s Impressionist masterpieces and other works of art in the event of flooding. The museum will also be closed on Friday. | The Musée d’Orsay, in a former train station on the Left Bank near the Seine, closed early to put in place a flood-protection plan that provides for swift evacuation of the museum’s Impressionist masterpieces and other works of art in the event of flooding. The museum will also be closed on Friday. |
| The rainfall also disrupted the French Open, where several tennis matches have been postponed. | The rainfall also disrupted the French Open, where several tennis matches have been postponed. |
| Officials in France and Germany were bracing for even more rain this week. The Loing River, a tributary of the Seine, has risen to levels not seen since 1910, and the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, got more rainfall last month than in any May since 1960. | Officials in France and Germany were bracing for even more rain this week. The Loing River, a tributary of the Seine, has risen to levels not seen since 1910, and the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, got more rainfall last month than in any May since 1960. |
| President François Hollande said Thursday that the rainfall and floods were “very serious” and linked them to global warming. | President François Hollande said Thursday that the rainfall and floods were “very serious” and linked them to global warming. |
| “When there are climatic phenomena of this seriousness, we must all be aware that we must act globally,” he said. He later added that the government would declare a state of disaster for affected areas, enabling residents and businesses to receive special insurance compensation. About 19,000 homes in France were still without power on Thursday evening, and the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said that an estimated 20,000 people had been evacuated. | |
| Meteorologists attribute the recent deluge to a dip in the jet stream that has trapped low-pressure air over much of France and Germany, where the air is then warmed by the sun. This occurrence often leads to heat waves, and to thunderstorms as the hot air rises. | |
| The recent thunderstorms have been more intense than usual because the hot air rises to encounter colder air in the upper atmosphere. Generally, the greater the difference between the rising hot air and the colder high air, the bigger the storms. | The recent thunderstorms have been more intense than usual because the hot air rises to encounter colder air in the upper atmosphere. Generally, the greater the difference between the rising hot air and the colder high air, the bigger the storms. |
| Forecasters say there could be a few more days of rain before the low-pressure air moves on. | Forecasters say there could be a few more days of rain before the low-pressure air moves on. |
| Speaking from the government’s crisis center in Paris on Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that the situation was still “tense” and “difficult” in certain areas. | Speaking from the government’s crisis center in Paris on Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that the situation was still “tense” and “difficult” in certain areas. |
| More than 3,000 people were evacuated from Nemours, about 50 miles south of Paris, after the Loing overflowed, flooding businesses and homes. The surrounding Seine-et-Marne area was on high alert for floods on Thursday, and 12 other departments in the Île-de-France and Centre-Val de Loire regions were on the second-highest level of flood alert. | More than 3,000 people were evacuated from Nemours, about 50 miles south of Paris, after the Loing overflowed, flooding businesses and homes. The surrounding Seine-et-Marne area was on high alert for floods on Thursday, and 12 other departments in the Île-de-France and Centre-Val de Loire regions were on the second-highest level of flood alert. |
| In addition to the man found dead in Évry-Grégy-sur-Yerre, an 86-year-old woman was also found dead Wednesday at her flooded home in Souppes-sur-Loing, a town just south of Nemours. But the cause of her death was unknown on Thursday and the local authorities said an autopsy would be conducted on Friday. | In addition to the man found dead in Évry-Grégy-sur-Yerre, an 86-year-old woman was also found dead Wednesday at her flooded home in Souppes-sur-Loing, a town just south of Nemours. But the cause of her death was unknown on Thursday and the local authorities said an autopsy would be conducted on Friday. |
| Traffic around Orléans, about 75 miles south of Paris, was blocked, and on Tuesday, 217 inmates had to be evacuated from a prison near Orléans. The Château de Chambord, a landmark in the Loire Valley, about 30 miles southwest of Orléans, was surrounded by water. | Traffic around Orléans, about 75 miles south of Paris, was blocked, and on Tuesday, 217 inmates had to be evacuated from a prison near Orléans. The Château de Chambord, a landmark in the Loire Valley, about 30 miles southwest of Orléans, was surrounded by water. |
| In Germany, the rains have claimed nine lives. | In Germany, the rains have claimed nine lives. |
| On Monday, in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, two people, including a firefighter, were sucked into a drainpipe in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd; a 62-year-old man was found dead in a flooded basement garage in Weissbach; and a 13-year-old girl, seeking shelter under a railway bridge, was struck by a train and killed in Schorndorf. | On Monday, in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, two people, including a firefighter, were sucked into a drainpipe in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd; a 62-year-old man was found dead in a flooded basement garage in Weissbach; and a 13-year-old girl, seeking shelter under a railway bridge, was struck by a train and killed in Schorndorf. |
| On Thursday, five people were found dead in the southern German state of Bavaria. They included three women from one family, in a home in the town of Simbach am Inn; a 75-year-old man in the same town; and an 80-year-old woman in the neighboring village of Julbach. | On Thursday, five people were found dead in the southern German state of Bavaria. They included three women from one family, in a home in the town of Simbach am Inn; a 75-year-old man in the same town; and an 80-year-old woman in the neighboring village of Julbach. |
| Three others were missing, and the death toll could rise, Michael Emmer, a spokesman for the police in the Lower Bavaria region, told the German news agency DPA. | Three others were missing, and the death toll could rise, Michael Emmer, a spokesman for the police in the Lower Bavaria region, told the German news agency DPA. |
| Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said the intensity of the flooding had taken officials by surprise. “Within a few minutes, the water level rose about several meters,” he said. | Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said the intensity of the flooding had taken officials by surprise. “Within a few minutes, the water level rose about several meters,” he said. |
| Officials said they were preparing for additional storms and strong rains in western and southern Germany. At a news conference, Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed condolences to the families of the victims. | Officials said they were preparing for additional storms and strong rains in western and southern Germany. At a news conference, Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed condolences to the families of the victims. |
| In the village of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the Ahr River rose nearly 13 feet to a level that officials said was unprecedented. Several campers in the region sought refuge on the roofs of vehicles and were rescued by helicopter. | In the village of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the Ahr River rose nearly 13 feet to a level that officials said was unprecedented. Several campers in the region sought refuge on the roofs of vehicles and were rescued by helicopter. |
| In the nearby Eifel mountain range, which is popular with tourists and hikers, flooding was also reported. | In the nearby Eifel mountain range, which is popular with tourists and hikers, flooding was also reported. |
| Thousands of homes in Bavaria were without power, officials said. | Thousands of homes in Bavaria were without power, officials said. |