Flood hits Paris phones and net

France Telecom says it will take up to a week to restore connection to 30,000 homes and businesses around Champs-Elysées

Published Friday 17 February 2017 - 11:15 Modified Friday 17 February 2017 - 11:15

ABOUT 30,000 homes and businesses in the centre of Paris are facing a week without telephone or internet access due to flooding.

Heavy rainfall on Friday night has caused severe damage to a telephone exchange in the heart of the capital.

The exchange on Rue Beaujon in the eighth arrondissement serves a busy residential and office district, including parts of the Champs-Elysées.

France Telecom said the damage to the network from the flooded exchange was "substantial".

About 15,000 businesses and a similar number of homes are affected.

The operator said a return to normal service would take at least "five or six days".

Two inches of rain fell in less than two hours on Friday night in the Ile-de-France.

Part of the busy RER interchange at Châtelet-les-Halles was also flooded, preventing some trains stopping there.

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Flood hits Paris phones and net

France Telecom says it will take up to a week to restore connection to 30,000 homes and businesses around Champs-Elysées

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