PARIS: The Seine River overflowed its banks in Paris on Tuesday, prompting authorities to close several roads and cancel boat cruises.

Paris City Hall closed roads along the shores of the Seine from the east of the capital to the area around the Eiffel Tower in the west as water levels rose at least 3.3 meters (nearly 11 feet) above the normal level.

Forecasters said that the water is expected to keep rising in the coming days.

Railway company SNCF said that six Paris train stations alongside the Seine will close for several days starting on Wednesday.

Near some boats moored on the riverbanks, signs written in French, English and Spanish, read: “Due to the high-water level and floods our cruises are completely compromised.” Costanza Della Cananea, an Italian tourist visiting Paris, said “we are disappointed because we thought we were going on a cruise on the Seine. It was the first time we were going to do it.” “We will do something else,” she said.

Marina Franchi, a visitor from the French southern city of Marseille, regrets not being able to make a dinner cruise.

“It is a part of our heritage. It would have been nice to visit Paris by night on the Seine,” she said.

Forecasters say that on Friday the Seine may reach its highest level since June 2016, when authorities were forced to close several Parisian monuments including the Louvre museum.

Authorities also warned of the risk of flooding along several rivers in eastern France because of heavy rain in recent weeks.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2018