Rivers keep swelling in France, disrupting services

PARIS — Rivers across France kept swelling on Wednesday despite a pause in the rain, with train service disrupted in Paris as the Seine River rose and flooded walkways.

In one outlying suburb, soldiers were on alert to intervene. In another, small boats were put at the disposal of town folk.

Meteo France, the national weather agency, said 23 departments remained on orange alert, the second highest level of vigilance, urging people to limit their movement and to stay vigilant.

In Paris, the Seine River reached 5.18 meters (nearly 17 feet) by noon at the Austerlitz bridge in the east, the Transport Ministry said. It was expected to keep rising, reaching 6.10 meters (20 feet) by Saturday — as high as the June 2016 flooding when authorities were forced to close several monuments, including the Louvre Museum.

Roads along the shores of the Seine remained closed on Wednesday as well as seven train stations alongside the river.