Flooding Chaos: Kirk’s European Escapade!
Ah, the joys of European weather! If there’s one thing we can always count on, it’s the fickle temperament of Mother Nature. Just when you think you can put your umbrella away, along comes the Kirk depression—yes, that’s right, a depression named after a storm. If naming storms after people becomes a trend, could we expect more personalized storms in the future? “Hurricane Roger” sounds like a real party killer.
In the charming lands of France and Belgium, they’ve recently witnessed quite the waterworks show as Kirk decided to let loose. In a mere 24 hours, the poor folks in Seine-et-Marne experienced rainfall equating to three weeks of precipitation! Talk about a shower that went a bit overboard. I mean, it’s about time we start asking—do we not yet have a rain dance that can return this excess back to the clouds?
Now, on the seriousness tip, we find both Seine-et-Marne and Eure-et-Loir are still on red alert, with heavy overflows and heightened water levels threatening to drench more than just anyone’s dreams of a sunny weekend. Nine schools and one college in Eure-et-Loir had the sense to shut their doors and go online—because let’s face it, education can happen anywhere… including your living room with a pizza.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Michel Barnier has taken it upon himself to reassure the nation, stating that the storm has summoned over 3,700 firefighters across the country. That’s right folks, it takes that many people to battle a storm because apparently, umbrellas and raincoats are no match for Kirk’s antics! Mr. Barnier somberly declared the situation “very serious.” Well, with a name like “Kirk,” you just know it’s up to no good.
And while France was drowning in water, Belgium had its own share of Kirk’s rainfall, leading to significant water accumulation, yet somehow managed to keep the damage to a minimum. It seems being neighbors to the French has issued them a free pass on storms. “Rain? What’s the big deal? We’ve only got a bit of flooding in Couvin, let’s shrug it off!”
If we’re searching for some silver lining, rail traffic is reportedly on the mend. The SNCF claims improvements are underway, despite a few hiccups here and there. It gives new meaning to the cliché—”you can’t always count on the French trains,” doesn’t it? Thankfully, TGV lines remained unscathed (hooray!), which gives us hope that croissant and cheese can still be delivered on time.
Now, let’s talk electricity—nearly 20,000 customers were still left in the dark at 6 p.m., a notable drop from the staggering 65,000 at the start of the day. Folks, it’s a reminder that sometimes our best barbecue memories are made when the power goes out. So, gather your friends, light some candles, and start reminiscing—because nothing says “good times” like laughing over storm stories in the dark!
So there you have it, a riveting saga of storms, floods, and the indomitable human spirit. Weather experts may have their forecasts, but with Kirk in the mix, we’re taking guesses as to whether we’ll see sunshine or street surfing next week. Stay dry, Europe, because it looks like the rain won’t be putting a cork in the bottle anytime soon!
Intense rains and violent winds, France and Belgium are facing significant flooding after the passage of the Kirk depression, which swept part of Europe.
ADVERTISEMENT
After the passage of the Kirk depression over France, this commune in Île-de-France is facing significant flooding. In 24 hours in this department, the equivalent of three weeks of precipitation fell.
Even if the heavy rains have weakened, Seine-et-Marne and Eure-et-Loir are the two French departments still placed on red alert. In Eure-et-Loir, significant overflows and increases in levels were expected this Thursday afternoon. In this department, nine schools and one college have closed their doors.
According to Prime Minister Michel Barnier, the storm required 3,700 firefighters to intervene across the country. He also assured that “the State was there and would be there in post-crisis management”describing the events as “very serious”.
The storm also swept across part of Belgium, causing heavy rain, but damage remained limited despite flooding. It was in the commune of Couvin, in the province of Namur, that the precipitation was the heaviest.
Overall, rail traffic “is improving” while it was interrupted locally in five regions, announced the SNCF. No TGV lines were affected by the storm.
Furthermore, nearly 20,000 customers of the Enedis company were still without electricity at 6 p.m., compared to 65,000 at the start of the day, particularly in the Pyrénées Atlantiques and Doubs, according to a press release from the network manager.
