Rain-swollen Seine burst its banks, engulfs quays
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Floodwaters are nearing their peak in Paris, with the rain-swollen Seine River engulfing scenic quays and threatening wine cellars and museum basements.
Unusually heavy rains have engorged the Seine and other rivers in the region, forcing a halt to all boat traffic in Paris, including tourist cruises.
Some quay-side restaurants were submerged, and roads and parks were closed — along with the bottom floor of the Louvre Museum. Meanwhile, fishermen took advantage of the rushing, boat-free river to look for lunch.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, authorities said Saturday that the flooding won't be as bad as forecast earlier this week. The river is expected to peak in Paris on Sunday at 6 meters (about 20 feet) or less on the Austerlitz scale, well below the 8.6 meters hit in record floods in 1910.