Paris museums move art works as Seine river keeps rising

The Louvre and Orsay museums in Paris moved scores of art works and precious artefacts to safety and soldiers evacuated residents trapped in some of the capital's outlying suburbs as the swollen river Seine hit its highest level in 30 years. France's environment minister, Segolene Royal, said the Seine had breached 6 metres (19 feet) in central Paris, submerging roads running along the river, swamping small businesses on quaysides and forcing the closure of an underground commuter line. The worst affected areas lie to the south of the capital. In Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, located near to Paris' Orly airport, soldiers and Red Cross volunteers helped stranded residents as floodwaters rose above knee level. In nearby Corbeil-Essonnes, locals kayaked along streets littered with abandonned cars. "It's a bit frightening, everything that's happening," said one woman from Marseille who identified herself only as Odile. "Not long ago they ran a flood simulation, how to evacuate museums, residents. And now it's happening for real." Insurance claims for damaged properties and cars will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, two consultancy groups said. Both the Louvre and Orsay...

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