Weak sea walls blamed for France storm disaster

Blame is being laid on weak and aged sea defenses after violent storms left at least 50 dead and thousands homeless along France's Atlantic coast. Many died after the sea wall off the coastal town of L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer was breached, allowing 26 foot waves to crash through the streets. A local governor said the walls dated back to the time of Napoleon and needed to be replaced with taller barriers. President Nicolas Sarkozy has pledged 3 million euros in emergency aid. He was touring the worst-affected western coastal regions of Vendee and Charente-Maritime after declaring a national disaster, and promised to channel recovery funds quickly.