Ancient Walls Blamed for Xynthia Flood Deaths in France

Aerial view shows flooded houses and streets on the Atlantic seaboard between La Rochelle and L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, western France, on March 1. The Xynthia storm battered the coast the previous day, killing at least 50 people, driving huge waves inland in (Frank Perry/AFP/Getty Images)

At least 50 people are dead, and thousands left homeless on France’s Atlantic coast after storm Xynthia punched through a nineteenth-century sea wall protecting the town of L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer. Twenty-six-foot waves breached the Napoleonic-era walls; quickly submerging the town in water.

The late winter storm of torrential rains and winds of up to 87 mph, hit France, Portugal, and Spain on Sunday before moving up toward Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. France so far has suffered the most damage, but storm-related deaths have also been reported in Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and Germany.

Nearly 10,000 emergency staff were deployed to the French coast by Monday morning, according to the BBC, which also reported that over 1 million households in France remain without power. President Nicolas Sarkozy is currently touring the area and has promised $4 million in relief aid.