By Miguel Perez, AccuWeather En Español Staff Writer
June 3,2016; 8:15AM,EDT
The rain that fell across eastern and central France on Wednesday and Thursday continues to bring a rise in the levels of rivers, including along the Seine River which runs through Paris.
Water levels rose high enough to escape the banks of the river and took to the streets of the French capital.
At least two deaths, according to BBC, have been attributed to the flooding in central and eastern France, in addition to numerous deaths caused by flooding across Germany and Belgium.
Parts of France where the worst flooding has occurred were declared a national disaster by French President Francois Hollande on Thursday, according to The Local.
Some of the most important historical sites are vulnerable to the increased water level. One of these is the Louvre, which is located on the northern bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement in Paris. The Louvre is recognized and highlighted as the world's largest museum and is a symbol and historical monument of France and the world.
The Louvre has started moving masterpieces from galleries that are vulnerable to flooding http://nyti.ms/1XVyaTH
Plastic
boxes containing artworks are placed for safe-keeping between
sculptures in an exhibition hall at the Musee de Louvre which is closed
and tourists being turned away, due to the unusually high water level of
the nearby river Seine in Paris, Friday, June 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Markus
Schreiber)The Musee d'Orsay, another famous art museum in Paris, is located on the southern bank of the Seine and also closed on Friday to protect its artifacts. The AFP reported on Friday that the museum would remain closed until Tuesday.
Many parks, transportation lines and businesses were also forced to close due to the flooding. More than 20,000 homes were without power in Paris and Loiret regions on Friday afternoon, according to French energy company Enedis.
BBC said that water levels of the River Seine in Paris are expected to reach as high as 6.5 m (21 feet) by the weekend.
This is the highest level the Seine River has risen since 1982, when the river reached 6.18 m (20.3 feet). If the expected river level of 6.5 m is reached, this will be the worst flooding Paris has endured since 1955.
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Ducks
swim on the overflowing embankments of Paris, Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
Paris City Hall closed roads along the shore of the Seine from the
southwest edge of the city to the neighborhood around the Eiffel Tower
as the water level has risen 4.3 m (14 feet 1 inches) higher than usual.
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus)Some 5,000 people have left their homes because the centers of cities and roads have been flooded by rivers south of Paris. Water levels have been rising faster than what is known as the Great Floods of 1910, when the French capital suffered its worst flooding.
While the rain may let up around Paris early in the weekend, rain will quickly return to the region.
"In Paris, the weather will not be that bad this weekend, with just a bit of drizzle and light showers through Saturday, and then thunderstorms return on Sunday," Leister said.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Spamer contributed content to this story.
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