CHALONNES-SUR-LOIRE, France (AP) — Search teams scoured the swollen Loire River on Wednesday for a man whose canoe overturned in strong currents near Chalonnes-sur-Loire, a town on the river’s left bank in western France. Francois Pesneau, a senior local official, said rescuers deployed boats and helicopters but held out little hope due to the powerful flows and frigid water temperatures.

“Objectively, there is very little chance of finding this person alive,” Pesneau told reporters. The 50-something man from the area vanished Tuesday evening as floodwaters surged from 35 straight days of rain, the longest such period since national records began in 1959, according to Meteo-France.

That mark shattered the previous record set last year. Four departments in the flood-prone west — including Loire-Atlantique, where Chalonnes-sur-Loire sits — remained under the highest red alert level. Officials warned conditions could deteriorate further with Storm Pedro approaching from the Atlantic, set to drench western Europe through the weekend.

In Bordeaux, southwestern France’s largest city, Mayor Pierre Hurmic triggered the emergency plan for the first time since devastating floods in 1999. “We’re mobilizing all resources to protect residents,” Hurmic said in a statement. Nine departments total sat under orange alerts, signaling serious flood risks.

Saintes, in the Charente-Maritime department, saw its historic core inundated Wednesday. AFP journalists reported water lapping at the Arch of Germanicus, a first-century Roman monument that once served as the town’s gateway. Central streets turned into shallow lakes, stranding cars and forcing evacuations.

Local authorities tallied about 50 flooded streets and 900 affected homes across the area. “The peak won’t hit until Saturday or Sunday,” said Saintes Mayor Bruno Drapron. He urged residents in low-lying zones to prepare for evacuation.

Vigicrues, France’s flood warning service, predicted fresh downpours Wednesday and Thursday would intensify the crisis. “This new rainfall will fuel the current floods,” said director Lucie Chadourne-Facon. Drier air was forecast to arrive Friday, but she cautioned that receding waters would take time.

“The end of the rain doesn’t mean the end of the flooding,” Chadourne-Facon told reporters. “A return to normal will happen very gradually.” Meteo-France reported some regions had already seen double their average September rainfall, with rivers like the Loire cresting well above seasonal norms.

The prolonged deluge has strained emergency services across western France. In addition to the missing canoeist, firefighters handled hundreds of calls for flooded basements and stranded motorists. No other fatalities were reported, but officials braced for more trouble as Pedro’s winds and rain lashed the coast.

Climate experts noted the event fits a pattern of increasingly intense wet spells in Europe. Meteo-France data showed the 35-day streak began Aug. 28, with only trace amounts falling short of rainy-day thresholds on a few occasions. The previous record stood at 34 days in 2023 across parts of the southwest.