Yes.. the carpet is the same shape as the floor, so it would need both front seats out and the centre console etc. to remove the carpet.
When I had a similar issue (different car) I just moved the front seat forwards on its runners and then removed the trim strip next to the sill to be able to lift the corner of the carpet in that footwell.
That allowed me to get a sponge under the carpet to soak up the water and squeeze it out (took quite a few sponges full and a lot of dabbing, since the insulation soaked up a lot and needed pressing to get the water out). Then I left scrunched up newspaper in there overnight to draw out more moisture.
You can try laying a flat piece of newspaper on the insulation and cover it with rice... that's hydroscopic so dries things out very well... but you'll have to not spill any in there/hoover it out when it's all dry. The rice makes a good vindaloo, since the spices mask the flavour of "musty footwell" very well, so no rice is wasted.
Just drive about a few days with the carpet propped up and your newspaper/rice in there to draw out the moisture. Change it with new/dry material if it gets soaked.
The sill cover strips may be screwed down at one end but otherwise they tend to be held in under the rubber door seal (which just squeezes over a moulded lip on the trim) and with raised "dead end" grooves that fit over a "T" head clip on the back.
So you need to remove the fastener (if there is one), unpick/lift the rubber seal over the door/leading edge lip and then slide the trim so the T clip comes out of the dead end of the groove on the back of the trim.
I have no idea which end of the groove is the open end but for the rear, I'd guess it is fitted by sliding it forwards, so potentially therefore removed by pulling it backwards. Just 1cm should be plenty. Don't just pull it straight "out" otherwise the groove gets damaged and will tend to lift.
Ralf S.
