Seine keeps rising in Paris as Louvre scrambles to protect art

The swollen Seine River kept rising Friday, spilling out across its banks and some streets in Paris as curators at the Louvre scrambled to protect a huge trove of art from the museum’s priceless collection from the flooding.

The Seine, which officials said was at its highest level in nearly 35 years, was expected to peak sometime later on Friday.

Nearly a week of heavy rain has led to serious flooding across a swathe of Europe, where 14 people have died and more are missing. Although the rain has tapered off in some areas, floodwaters are still climbing up over scores of river banks. Traffic in the French capital was snarled as flooding choked roads and several Paris railway stations were shut.

While the Louvre’s most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, was safe on an upper floor, officials said about 250,000 artworks were located in flood-risk areas, mostly in basement storerooms. The art was hastily being moved upstairs – a move officials described as precautionary.

The Orsay museum, on the left bank of the Seine, was also closed on Friday to prepare for possible flooding.

A spokeswoman at the Louvre said museum had not taken such precautions in its modern history – since its 1993 renovation at the very least. She spoke on condition of anonymity in line with the museum’s policy.

At the Louvre, disappointed tourists were being turned away.

“I am really sorry, but we’re closed today,” one staffer told visitors. “We have to evacuate masterpieces from the basement.”