Fierce storms with winds over a 130 mph battered France yesterday killing more than 50 people and leaving around a million homes without power forcing the government to declare the storms a "national catastrophe".

The storm which has been called Xynthia swept in from the Atlantic battering the coasts of France, Spain and Portugal. At least 25 people in the Vendee region were drowned by flood water with the town of L'Aiguillon sur Mer worst hit when high tides and flood waters quickly reached the first floor of some homes forcing many to take refuge on the roof where they were later rescued by helicopters.

In the Charente Maritime and Pyreenees many fatalities were caused by falling trees, collapsing roofs and chimneys.

The storms have caused travel chaos across France with many airports closed, flights cancelled and railway lines and roads blocked by fallen trees.

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