Paris floods made almost twice as likely by climate change, say scientists

Manmade global warming greatly increased the risk of extreme rain affecting the French capital, analysis shows

The Paris floods, that saw extreme rainfall swell the river Seine to its highest level in decades, were made almost twice as likely because of the manmade emissions driving global warming, scientists have found.

A three-day period of heavy rain at the end of May saw tens of thousands of people evacuated across France, and the capital's normally busy river closed to traffic because the water levels were so high under bridges. As artworks in the Louvre were moved to safety and Paris's cobbled walkways were submerged, the French president, Franiois Hollande, blamed the floods on climate change.