Resident of flood-affected areas around Paris, like Longjumeau, a suburb about 24 kilometers (15 miles) to the south of the capital, started a major clean-up on Sunday (June 5) as the water levels subsided.
Flooding in central France has killed four people, injured 24 others, and forced thousands to evacuate since the beginning of last week.
The worst affected areas lay just to the south of the capital where firemen waded thigh-deep water to rescue residents on inflatable boats.
“We see the traces of the floods we had last Wednesday, which reached up to 1.80 metres in the garage and in the basement. We are now clearing up the debris here, so we can immediately start cleaning up,” Longjumeau resident Christine Barbier said.
According to the French Insurance Association (AFA), damages due to floods could cost insurers at least 600 million euros ($682.20 million).
Some roads remained impassable, and fire-fighters were still draining water from some streets.
In the capital, the Seine river stabilised as levels continued slowly receding on Sunday, with a height of 5.72 (18.766 feet) metres recorded at 11 a.m. (0900 GMT), according to French flood monitoring agency Vigicrues, after reaching a peak height of 6.1 metres (20 feet) early Saturday (June 5) morning.
The rain-swollen Seine hit its highest level in 30 years, submerging riverside roads, swamping small businesses on quaysides and forcing the closure of an underground commuter line.
It could take at least a week before the Seine returns to its normal level, a hyrdologist at Vigicrues said.
France experienced the wettest May in 100 years.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016
