Soggy start looms for Paris Olympics as 'flooding rains' threaten opening ceremony

Paris: The Paris Olympics are poised to commence under potentially rainy skies, as Meteo-France forecasts "flooding rains" Friday evening during the opening ceremony along the Seine River. Despite these conditions, the event is scheduled to proceed as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST (11:30 PM IST) and lasting over three hours.

By late afternoon, overcast skies with occasional drizzle prevailed, tempered by relatively warm temperatures expected through the evening. Instead of the traditional stadium march, approximately 6,800 athletes will parade across 90 boats spanning 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) along the Seine River.

While 10,700 athletes are slated to participate in the Olympics, including those based outside Paris and some yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organisers confirmed. Hundreds of thousands of spectators, encompassing 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are anticipated to line the Seine’s banks to witness the athletes' boat parade.

Despite the weather challenges, organisers are committed to ensuring a spectacular start to the Games amidst the picturesque backdrop of the Seine River in Paris. AP