AKIPRESS.COM - The swollen River Seine in the French capital, Paris, has peaked at more than four metres above its normal level, BBC reported.

It rose to 5.84m (19.2ft) early on Monday, and is not expected to begin receding before Tuesday.

Weeks of rainfall have produced a relentless rise in the water level.

Around 1,500 people have been evacuated from their homes in the greater Paris region, while a similar number of homes remain without electricity, the authorities say.

In 2016, the last significant flood in Paris, the river reached a high of 6.1m.

Seven stations of a main commuter line, the RER C, have now been closed until at least 5 February, and some expressways that run alongside the Seine have been closed.

The city's famous Bateaux Mouches tourist boats are out of service, with only emergency services allowed to use the river.