More than 1,600 people have fled their homes in western France as a third major storm in a week brought record rainfall and extreme flooding.

Flood levels continue to rise in western France, inundating towns and cutting off roads. Much of the heavy rain was caused by Storm Herminia as it swept across western Europe recently. Rennes, the capital city of Brittany saw almost 200mm of rain through January which is three times the average amount expected at this time of year.

Storm Herminia has unleashed downpours in western France, with parts of Brittany put on red weather alert Monday, while eight other French departments were put on orange alert for flooding, flash

Torrential rain, gusting winds, and major flooding caused widespread travel disruption, prompting evacuations and a series of red weather alerts

Residents in western France used boats to escape their flooded homes on Monday as rivers and waterways overflowed their banks following successive storms that battered Normandy and Brittany. According to the Associated Press, the national weather service had issued flood and wind warnings as Storm Herminia hit Spain, France and parts of the UK.

Residents in Brittany are being warned to take extreme precautions and stay inside as much as possible, as historic river flooding in the region is set to continue today (January 29).

Parts of Brittany were on the highest weather warning on Monday morning as more heavy rain is expected after floods hit western France over the weekend - more than 400 people have been evacuated from the town of Rennes.

Storm Herminia caused road closures in some areas of France. About 400 people were evacuated from homes in and around the city of Rennes, at the heart of the hardest-hit region. The mayor called it the city's worst flooding in more than 40 years and said in a statement that the waters weren't expected to start receding until Wednesday.

Rennes, France: Residents in north-western France have used boats to escape their flooded homes as rivers and waterways broke their banks after successive storms battered Normandy and Brittany.

A succession of recent storms, including Storm Herminia, have caused severe flooding in western France. Residents have been forced to leave their homes by boat and helicopter. In Rennes, one of the worst affected places, around 400 people were taken to safety. The city's mayor said it was the most severe flooding in more than four decades.

France suffers unprecedented flooding as storm Herminia moves into northern Spain, causing plains, trains and ferry cancellations.

Winds of 120km/h forecast as depression Herminia strikes the Atlantic shore. British sailor missing in the Atlantic