Huricane Kirk has caused flooding chaos in France as water levels at the River Seine reached an all time high. Forecasters have issued warnings, with officials launching a crisis response meeting
Hurricane Kirk is continuing to make an impact across Western Europe, with France the latest country to be hit with disastrous conditions.
The remnants of the hurricane swept across Portugal and Spain on Wednesday before causing major disruption in France which has left one person dead.
In a post on Twitter, Météo Express said: “Very delicate situation in Coulommiers in Seine-et-Marne. At midday, the Grand Morin is 24 cm higher than the historic flood of 2016.” The alarming conditions prompted a crisis response meeting in Paris as officials said the government was mobilising “all state services” and warned people to stay safe.
Energy and Ecological Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told journalists: “These episodes will have a tendency to recur. We’re living at a time when climate change is making itself felt in concrete ways in our daily lives.”
Over in Portugal, more than 30,000 households and businesses were left without power due to the storm, reports Portugal Resident. EDP energy group said the electricity grid has been severely affected. “We’re still experiencing a lot of disruption and at this point we can’t predict when it will be fully restored, something we’ll monitor and report on throughout the day,” the company said.
Local civil protection chief Olegário Gonçalves told publication Lusa: “there are three bridges closed, two municipal pavilions flooded”, stressing this is “one of the worst floods (we have suffered) in recent years”. Forecasters in England have also issued warnings over ex-Hurricane Kirk and said it will track to the south of the UK, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to northern France.
The Met Office said further weather warnings were possible until midweek as rain falls on already wet ground, but added that the risk of flooding should reduce. Although north and south shifts remain possible, the threat of significant impacts to the UK from the ex-hurricane are now much reduced, it added.