The level of the river Seine in Paris rose from 4.57 metres on Monday to 4.82 metres by Tuesday morning and is expected to keep rising until Wednesday when it could reach 5.7 metres, almost four metres about its normal level of 2 metres.

There are some suggestions it could even pass the 6.10 metre level reached in 2016 although the record of 8.62 metres set in the famous 1910 flood should be safe for now.

The floods have caused major disruption with roads and tunnels along the river banks closed and all river traffic including cruise boats are suspended as boats are unable to pass under the bridges.

Paris police chief Michel Delpuech has told residents to “take extreme care when close to the water.” 

Authorities have advised those living on barges on the Seine to move to dry land. And restaurant barges along the river have been closed.

Parks and gardens have also been flooded. Certain underground car parks in the 12th and 13th arrondissements are also beginning to flood.

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The flood is due to days of downpours further up stream, with the flooded Marne, Yonne and Armançon rivers helping swell the waters of the Seine.

“The accumulation of rainfall is remarkable,” said the weather channel Chaine Méteo. “Last week, the equivalent of two weeks of rain has fallen in the basin that feeds the Seine and its tributaries.”

Paris is officially on Orange alert due to the floods as are the surrounding departments of Val d'Oise, Yvelines and Seine-et-Marne. That is he second highest warning level meaning the public are advised to be vigilant and avoid the edge of the water.

The level of the River Marne is worrying authorities as it continues to rise on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: What Paris looked like during the 1910 'flood of the century'