Northern France’s Pas-de-Calais district remains on yellow alert for wind, flood-rains, and wave surges on Tuesday following Storm Ciaran and record-breaking floods.
Seven local rivers, monitored by Vigicrues, are on orange alert according to a 10.00 p.m. bulletin on Monday, with substantial to extreme floods expected, although these are anticipated to be less severe than last Friday’s events.
Rains on already saturated grounds were light on Monday but are forecasted to be “more significant” on Tuesday, says the weather agency.
The prefecture decided to shut creches and schools in 279 municipal areas, affecting a total of 388 institutions, on both Monday and Tuesday.
The week’s outlook from Meteo-France predicts alternating dry days and precipitation: showers on Wednesday, a lull until Friday, then resumption of storms until Monday.
The aftermath so far includes four minor injuries and one fatality; a woman in her 60s found dead in her car in Bailleul (Nord), which was discovered on Saturday in a flood ditch. A direct connection to the extreme weather conditions is yet to be confirmed.
According to the prefecture, 550 households are without electricity and 7,200 are coping with water usage restrictions.
Rail traffic has been halted on two lines (Boulogne-Etaples and Saint-Pol-Etaples) “until further notice,” says French railway company SNCF, and over 90 roads have been cut off.
