Seine still rising in Paris; Louvre partially closed

The Louvre museum in Paris closed part of its lower level as a precaution against flooding.

Credit: Aurelien Meunier

Credit: Aurelien Meunier

The Louvre museum in Paris closed part of its lower level as a precaution against flooding.

Paris remained under a flood alert Sunday after the Seine overflowed, causing officials to close part of the lower level of the Louvre museum, CNN reported.

The Seine is forecast to peak at nearly 20 feet overnight Sunday into Monday, officials said.

Water levels at the Austerlitz Bridge had reached nearly 19 feet, according to the the official Vigicrues flood agency website.

The Louvre, which is situated next to the Seine, partially closed one wing of the museum as a precaution, CNN reported. Louvre officials said the lower level of the Islamic wing will remain closed at least through Monday.

The water levels have not approached the 1910 flood, when the Seine rose to 28 feet. In June 2016, the Seine topped out at almost 20 feet and riverside museums had to relocate their artwork, CNN reported.

Colombe Brossel, the deputy Paris mayor, told CNN the city had learned from past mistakes, but that more needs to be done to adapt to climate change.

“Two floodings of the Seine river in less than two years -- we have to change, we have to change the way we build this city,” Paris Deputy Mayor Colombe Brossel told CNN. “We have to understand that climatic change is not a word, it's a reality.”