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High Waters, High Spirits

Recently, Paris, France has been seeing a lot of rain. This has then led to a major flood of the Seine River. The river is located within the Paris Basin and alongside the Eiffel Tower.
Nearly half of France’s western boarder is touched by the Atlantic Ocean, and the country sits at a 46 degree North latitude. These elements, along with a persuasive Gulf Stream, cause the country to have a moderate Type C climate, meaning that it regularly receives moderate rain totals. However, this has not been the case lately. Due to unusually heavy rainfall, the river currently has a water level of 5.84 meters (19.2 feet), and is expected to peak just over 6 meters. Usually the water level for this time of year sits at about 2 meters, meaning it is currently 4 meters higher than usual. The Seine River has overflown as a result, and France will not see it dry up for weeks, if not months. Floods are dangerous because they can cause damage to the structures near the river: houses, schools, museums, roads, vehicles, and so much more. Authorities from Paris have stated that there has been damage in 240 towns already. Additionally, the soil may become waterlogged, making it difficult to grow or maintain any sort of plants or crops.
This photo (borrowed from the Evening Stand) is of the current water levels near the Eiffel Tower.
The flood is not anything that the people of France could have caused or prevented, although some believe that it may be linked to climate change. A similar flood occurred in 2016 where the water reached 6.1 meters. These events in the past two years have been some of the worst in over 100 years, being compared to the flood of 1910 where the water reached 8.63 meters, or 28 feet above its normal levels.
This is a photo (borrowed from google) of the effects of the 1910 flood where waters reached an all-time high.

The water is flowing over into the lives of the French and effecting day-to-day life. Over 1,500 people have been forced to evacuate their homes and many are left without electricity and Internet. Many roads and train stations have closed making it difficult for people to travel or get to work. Even some hospitals are evacuating. Locals aren’t the only ones affected as it also affects tourism. The river is shut down (obviously) to all boats except for emergency crews. Museums nearby, such as the Louvre Museum, have sections closed as well, as a precautionary.
A woman and her dog trying to travel through the treacherous flood waters. (borrowed from google) 

This event is worth highlighting because Paris is the largest city in France. It is home to 10 million of France’s 65 million people. In 2016, the cost of the flood was around 1 billion euros, so if damages are similar, the country could be looking at a stiff bill. Even though I do not have a direct relation to this city, it is one that I have always wanted to visit. If the flood were to seriously damage anything, it may affect sights I am interested in seeing in the future.
Regardless of this all, some people in Paris are still finding a way to dance (swim) in the rain.
Twitter user, @kevinbthornton tweets, " Opportunistic urban bathing by @blueparallax freediving... Walking on Seineshine... #paris #flood #crue #toureiffel #seine"

 Resources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42856634
 https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/paris-floods-live-latest-updates-as-river-seine-swells-and-french-capital-braces-for-flooding-a3751806.html
 http://www.chiefscientist.qld.gov.au/publications/understanding-floods/flood-consequences
 http://time.com/5121764/seine-river-flooding/
 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/01/23/flood-of-the-century-fears-rise-in-paris-along-with-the-seine/?utm_term=.bd4feeaef1de

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