Ex-Hurricane “Kirk” brings record breaking floods in Seine-et-Marne, France
Torrential rains from Ex-Hurricane “Kirk” caused widespread flooding across Seine-et-Marne, France, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, with several rivers surpassing water levels recorded during the 2016 floods. The Grand Morin River rose to 3.66 m (12 feet), prompting evacuations and power outages in affected areas. Other regions were also severely impacted, including Paris, where the National Assembly was inundated.
Image credit: Guillaume Séchet
- The Grand Morin River in Seine-et-Marne reached 3.66 m (12 feet) on October 10, surpassing the flood levels of the 2016 disaster, as Ex-Hurricane “Kirk” brought heavy rainfall to the region.
- The flooding caused widespread power outages, school closures, and road blockages. In Coulommiers, 400 homes were left without electricity, and several schools were closed or severely affected by the rising water.
- All outdoor activities are prohibited till Friday due to the extreme flooding, with Red and Orange alerts being active across the affected regions.
- The National Assembly in Paris was flooded after a drainage pipe burst flooding courtrooms and offices in the building.
Severe flooding hit Seine-et-Marne on Thursday, October 10 as Ex-Hurricane “Kirk” passed over the region, bringing heavy rainfall. The Grand Morin River overflowed, causing significant floods in the surrounding areas.
Kirk’s remnants started affecting France on Wednesday and by Thursday afternoon the water level of the Grand Morin had already reached 3.66 m (12 feet), surpassing the peak of the 2016 floods, which topped out at 3.42 m (11.2 feet). Water levels were expected to rise further with a potential peak Thursday evening or during the early hours of the night.
Several rivers, including the Loing, have also overflowed due to Kirk’s impact. According to the Seine-et-Marne prefecture, special attention is being given to the Petit Morin and Yerres rivers, while the Marne’s levels are of particular concern.
The Marne River has been placed under an orange alert by Vigicrues, with the flood peak expected by late Friday morning, October 11 Significant flooding could occur between Condé and Charenton, especially overnight from Thursday to Friday.
Firefighters have responded to at least 336 flood-related incidents, primarily rescuing motorists trapped in their vehicles. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties have been reported in the Seine-et-Marne region.
In Coulommiers, 400 homes were without electricity on Thursday, and several residents were evacuated the night before. Primary and nursery schools in the town were closed due to the floods, while four middle schools were also affected. One middle school had 50 cm (19.7 inches) of water inside, two were rendered inaccessible, and another suffered a power outage.
School transport was suspended for Thursday, and all outdoor activities in the region are prohibited until Friday, October 11.
A total of 49 departmental roads have been closed, with heavy traffic on 90 others. A section of the RD934 motorway between La Ferté-Gaucher and Lescherolles became impassable due to flooding.
In the town of Pommeuse, many roads were closed, and residents awoke to water flooding their homes. Yohann, a local resident, said, “I didn’t sleep a single minute last night. I was busy monitoring the water level, which kept rising relentlessly. And it continues to rise.” Pommeuse has already experienced three floods this year.
Yvelines was also hit by significant rainfall on Wednesday evening, October 9, with about 80 mm (3.15 inches) of rain recorded in Trappes and up to 90 mm (3.54 inches) in other areas. Firefighters received approximately 2 500 calls in response to rain-related incidents.
Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse was the worst-affected town in the region, with streets submerged under 1 m (3.28 feet) of water on Wednesday evening. The flooding peaked around 23:00 local time (LT). Schools in the town were closed, the railway station became inaccessible, and public transport came to a halt due to the floods. The region remains under an orange alert.
In Essonne, firefighters carried out around 600 flood-related interventions. The hardest-hit areas were Limours, Forges-les-Bains, and Boullay-les-Troux, where residents reported their basements submerged in up to 1.5 m (4.92 feet) of water.
In Étampes, 28 people were evacuated from a nursing home after 5 – 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) of water entered the building. Another person was rescued from her car and taken to the hospital with injuries. Two colleges and several roads in the region were closed on Thursday due to flooding.
In Paris, the National Assembly was flooded on Wednesday evening after a burst rainwater drainage pipe caused water to flood courtrooms and offices. The assembly’s car park was also inundated. Around 50 firefighters were deployed to manage the situation.
Paris firefighters received over 500 calls on Wednesday evening, but only conducted 20 interventions, as many calls fell outside their jurisdiction. More than 60 mm (2.36 inches) of rain fell over Paris on Wednesday, making it the wettest autumn day since 1920, according to François Jobard, a forecaster at Météo France.
References:
1 Dépression Kirk : Point de situation à 12h – Prefet de Seine-et-Marne – October 10, 2024
2 Inondations en Ile-de-France : 400 foyers privés d’électricité à Coulommiers, des habitants évacués – France Bleu – October 10, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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