Record loss and flooding in Paris

A mere two - hour storm fired a total of 53 mm of rain over Paris by midnight Sunday - a record equal to 27 normal rainy days.

Meteorological services say 49.2mm of rain fell in just one hour, in what is recorded as the record July flooding in the French capital.

Floods closed 20 subway stations, while some of them were still closed in early hours of Monday morning when travelers had to go to work.

Some parts of Switzerland were also hit by strong winds, and halftuhs, which caused flooding there as well. Heavy rainfall began in Paris at 21 p.m. on Sunday, while “Meteo France” said the reduced amount was higher than the previous record, of 47.4mm, which was registered on July 2nd 1995.

Some areas in the west and around Paris have seen greater numbers than the monthly average between Sunday midnight and 8 o'clock in the morning. The western village of Civray was flooded by 86mm of rain within 24 hours.