Spare a thought for Jean-Paul Rault.

Last Sunday, when the Vendee area suffered massive flooding from the high tides pushed on by the storm Xynthia, with the help of his neighbours he managed to get his 150 cows to higher ground but lost 600 sheep who couldn’t make it due to the flow of the water.  He still has six sheep left; they were participating in the Paris Show. They don’t know how lucky they are! 

Here is a link to an article (not for the easily upset). The sad tally of human loss is at the moment, 53 people.

Bon courage, 

JC.

 

What an awful thing to happen...

One can only sympathise with those affected by this storm, and the loss of life is horrific. Are the livestock losses any worse than those in Cumbria a couple of months ago though? The media concentrated on damage to towns and bridges, and virtually ignored farm livestock, and estimates of around 10,000 sheep dead came only via word of mouth and may be seriously in error. I do hope the authorities responsible for clearing up and rebuilding in France show a great deal less bloody minded incompetence than the councils associated with Workington and Cockermouth.

Decision making at a local level is much more devolved than in the UK. I think it generally helps.

The farmers unions have established procedures for getting help in times of crisis and it's already kicking in. You can read about it here.

A state of natural disaster was declared within a couple of days enabling the insurance companies to fast track claims.

None of this can turn back the clock but hopefully help the most needy get back on their feet.

I was born in Cumbria and know Cockermouth well, shame they are not getting the support they need.

Bon courage,

JC.

Most of the loss of livestock and damage to buildings, fencing, walls, crops, etc. will never be reported and therefore unknown to the world. The loss of life was undoubtedly worst in France, but there were lives lost in other countries too, and massive urban and rural damage from Madeira (still reeling from the landslides and flooding of a few days previously) through Portugal, Spain and on to France. I have heard nothing about any damage in more northerly countries, where did it go from France?

There is still continuing damage close by me. We have recorded 695mm of rain in the last 13 weeks, it is still raining heavily and more forecast over the next few days. Most years we receive less than 600mm for the year. 

I was very disappointed in the UK news coverage of the storm. It was more or less the old story of ignore the mainland its "abroad". I had to add France 24 to my Sky favourites to see what was happening. I hope the weather improves for you soon OM. Floods and severe snow, it has been some winter for us too.

 

I think it was three people that died in Germany.

2 were hit by falling trees and a child was blown into the river and swept away near Mainz.

 In Bonn the weather was wild all of the Sunday. It reminded me of the storms we get back home (see login name!).

I was in Chatelaillon Plage, La Rochelle and Ile de Re in Novermber 2009. Seeing photos on the web brought a lump to my throat.

Fortunately a couple of family members who live out past St Jean D'Angely were fine with just a slightly battered property, no pwer for 24 hours and a couple of trees requiring the chain-saw to make safe.

  My thoughts are with everyone, no matter which country, who suffered the wrath of Xynthia.

Beste Wunsche

S Skye

He his-self:

I was very disappointed in the UK news coverage of the storm. It was more or less the old story of ignore the mainland its "abroad". I had to add France 24 to my Sky favourites to see what was happening. I hope the weather improves for you soon OM. Floods and severe snow, it has been some winter for us too.

 

I thought it might have been the fact that I had a very busy media free weekend that I missed the coverage so I checked and lo and behold couldn't easily find any news for this very significant neighbour event or the aftermath in the British press online or otherwise.

So much for the Union and while we here in England were bracing ourselves for the tail end of Xynthia which was in reality really not that bad for us (Met Office hype again), others were experiencing death and destruction.

My condolences to those involved and my heartfelt best wishes for an improvement in all your circumstances.