text: Rescue personnel work at a flooded street in La-Faute-sur-Mer in western France March 1, 2010. President Nicolas Sarkozy promised on Monday to investigate how sea levees broke during heavy storms at the weekend, unleashing floods that killed at least 51 people. The government has declared a natural disaster, which will enable victims to claim compensation and free up insurance flooding claims and it has also announced it will seek European Union aid for the region. (STEPHANE MAHE/Reuters