Flooding has struck the City of Light, Paris, for the second time in two years as the Seine burst its banks. The floods follow the weeks of heavy and frequent rainfall that have affected much of France, prompting river levels to reach approximately 6m (19ft 8in), against a normal level of 2m (6ft 6in). Subway stations, as well as the Louvre’s lower level, have all been closed.
Extremely cold conditions have been affecting eastern parts of Asia in the past few days, especially China, South Korea and Japan. Temperatures in Japan dropped by more than 10 degrees below the average for this time of year in places, reaching -4C (24.8F) in Tokyo on Thursday 25 January, which is the coldest temperature recorded in the past 48 years. The cold, with heavy snowstorms, caused disruptions for both trains and flights.
Following rain and high levels of dust due to strong southerly winds last week, the island of Cyprus has been treated to a taste of winter. Cold north-easterly winds on 25 January brought heavy snow over the mountains, where up to 16in (40cm) was reported. This led to some roads being closed to traffic.
