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Paris is experiencing record-breaking levels of rain that is causing the River Seine to overflow. As a result, rodents were forced above ground for survival, scurrying about in all directions.
The mayhem was caught on video.
Rats scamper outside the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris as flooding, caused by the River Seine, forces the rodents o… https://t.co/CcaqY0Hktv— ABC News (@ABC News) 1516809028.0
According to ABC News, water levels exceeded more than double the average level at 17 feet, and the downpour shows no signs of letting up.
Seven subway stations in the main artery of famous tourist attractions in Paris, including the Notre Dame cathedral and the Musee d'Orsay, have shut-down until further notice.
Due to the high level of the river Seine, the lower level of the Department of Islamic Art is closed to the public.… https://t.co/vNecm3KcUn— Musée du Louvre (@Musée du Louvre) 1516799757.0
River transportation halted as the boats could no longer pass underneath the many bridges traversing the Seine.
Rising Seine flushes out Paris rats as museums go on flood alert https://t.co/7K1MluUeOs https://t.co/t5PyAK9sPq— FRANCE 24 English (@FRANCE 24 English) 1516848189.0
The furry and highly aggressive creatures unleashed on the dry grounds of Paris poses great concern. A local dustman told a French daily newspapaer, Le Parisien:
For the past year, we've seen a proliferation of rats in all the arrondissements on the banks of the Seine. One colleague told me that a rat jumped at his throat and another at his arm. To my knowledge, there have been no bites for now but we don't want to wait until drama strikes.
The rat infestation became a serious issue since 2016, focing Parisians to plead with the city to take extra measures to address the cringe-worthy problem.
Paris town took action by closing off public parks and gardens by laying "environmentally friendly" rodent traps and blocking sewer entrances. However, despite the city pouring approximately $1.6 million to rid the city of the vermin, it made very little impact.
According to Telegraph, the rising water levels is only a part of the problem. It turns out that the Parisian rats have become a tough army. The report said:
Parisian rats are immune to poison, according to a recent study, which also found that there rodents carried more parasites than previously thought - up to 16 including seven that are potentially dangerous to man.
The footage of the rats outside of Notre Dame cathedral is one sight tourists don't want to see. But someone compared it to the situation back in Washington.
California wasn't exempt from a similar comparison.
Another person on Twitter sounded like a veteran on rat sightings.
@alden_nail @My_Rice_Sickle @ABC surprise! New York is like this— Michaela Gayle Smith (@Michaela Gayle Smith) 1516822244.0
Cute? Rataouille is cute. Notre Dame rats, not so much.
Another footage of rats on the loose in Paris emerged. You'll think twice about their "cuteness."
Paris is on an orange weather alert -- which is the second highest flood warning level, and the city braces itself as the Seine could exceed 2016's water level at 20 feet.
Hide your cheese, folks.