France remains on high alert as heavy rain and flooding continue to plague the southwest region, while the north experiences a slight reprieve from the intense precipitation that has disrupted life and agriculture in recent days, Bloomberg reports.
Météo-France has issued an orange alert for the southwest, with some areas expected to receive up to 3.9 inches of rain by Friday afternoon. The downpour is attributed to the remnants of Storm Leslie from the Atlantic.
The recent deluge has highlighted growing concerns about the impacts of climate change. A recent study predicts that disruptive storms like these will become 50% more frequent in central Europe and bring 5% more rainfall if global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius. With Europe warming at a faster pace than other parts of the world, adapting to these changes is becoming increasingly costly.
“To adapt to climate change and to fight against greenhouse gas emissions, we’re not there yet in terms of budget,” French Energy and Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told lawmakers on Friday. She called for increased government funding to support cleaner heating projects and adaptation programs.
The heavy rainfall has been unprecedented in recent years, with parts of France experiencing their heaviest rainfall in 20 years, according to local TV station La Chaîne Météo. The Centre-Val de Loire and Ile-de-France regions were particularly hard hit, with many streets in the suburbs of Paris flooded.
On Friday, news reports emerged of infrastructure damage and power outages in southeastern France, with local TV stations showing cars swept away by floodwater.
The bad weather has also severely impacted France’s agricultural sector, Europe’s largest. The country’s corn harvest is progressing at the slowest pace in 11 years, with only 13% of the crop cut as of October 14th, compared to the five-year average of 55%. FranceAgriMer data also reveals that soft-wheat and winter barley plantings have been delayed due to saturated fields, exacerbated by the wettest September in 25 years.
The impact of the heavy rain is reflected in the wheat market, with Paris wheat futures for December delivery rising 0.4% at the open. The contract is on track for its fourth consecutive week of gains.
