A man walks through flood water in the town of Aytré, southwestern France, on Sunday, Feb. 28, after a severe deluge hit the area. (Associated Press)

Rescue workers in France searched along the country's Atlantic shore for survivors on Monday after a storm smashed sea walls, damaged homes and killed at least 62 people across western Europe.

The storm, named Xynthia, blew into France early Sunday morning with hurricane-force winds and also battered Belgium, Portugal, Spain and parts of Germany, disrupting air and train travel throughout the continent.

The storm flooded ports and destroyed homes in France, where 51 people were reported killed, nine are still missing and scores were injured.

About half of the death toll was blamed on a breach of the sea wall off the coastal town of L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, which lies at about the midpoint of France's Atlantic coast.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy toured coastal regions and met with people at L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer on Monday, and pledged $4.3 million Cdn in emergency aid.

Close to 1 million without electricity

"It is a national disaster, a human drama with a terrible death toll," Sarkozy said. "The urgent thing is to support the families who have members missing or dead."

Sarkozy also deflected criticism over the state of France's sea walls, saying "this is not the time."

The storm also cut electricity to nearly 900,000 people in France. Rivers overflowed their banks in Brittany, and the threat of avalanches was high in the Pyrenees Mountains and the Southern Alps because of the wind and wet snow.

It was the worst storm to hit France since 1999 when 90 people died.

The storm was also blamed for six deaths in Germany and three in Spain, while Belgium and Portugal reported one fatality each.

France's railways had major delays, and at least 100 flights were cancelled altogether at the two main Paris airports. Cancellations also continued Monday at Frankfurt airport in Germany, one of Europe's most important travel hubs.

With files from The Associated Press