Two major museums in the heart of Paris have been temporarily closed so that their priceless works can be moved to higher ground amid the threat of flooding from the River Seine.

The river, which has already burst its banks in several places, is 6m (19ft) above its normal level, after six months worth of rain fell in just a matter of days.

As a result, the world-famous Louvre and Musée d'Orsay have both been temporarily closed to move their works to safety.

Both museums closed on Thursday, with the Louvre remaining closed today (Friday) to allow staff to move the tens of thousands of painting and sculptures stored in its underground rooms.

“The objective is to take the works stored underground and put them in the higher floors,” said a statement from the museum. “The Louvre staff have begun this operation.”

Musée d'Orsay, which holds one of the greatest collections of Impressionist works, said it has put in place a “protection plan”, appointing a crisis management team to organise the movement of its most valuable and in-danger works to its upper floors.

Other visitor attractions have also been affected, with tourist boats banned from passing through the French capital, while the Eiffel Tower has been partially submerged underwater.

The water level is at its highest since 1986. The highest levels of all time were recorded in 1910, when the Seine reached 8.5m (28ft), submerging large areas of the capital for 45 days.

The Louvre’s emergency evacuation plan gives a timeframe of 72 hours to remove its works. The Musee d’Orsay has 96 hours. Both museums held drills earlier in the year to prepare for such an event.

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