The Shoreline between Nature and Society, a Changing Heritage - Vulnerability of Coastal Ecosystems and Adaptation - page 186

when some settlements were affected and there were a few victims,
which were never high in numbers as the coasts were not as densely
populated as today. The 29 deaths recorded in La Faute-sur-Mer are
only a consequence of the recent and socially reckless establishment
in sectors that were affected by past and “forgotten” submersion
events. These invoke a lack of realization, a “forgetful” memory so
that the responsibilities are widely shared from the top to the bottom
of the social pyramid.
Figure 5.6. The map shows the magnitude of submersion after the Xynthia storm that
almost reached the limits of the first dike for the second half of the 19th Century. The
submersion is related to the influx of water and the numerous breaks in the dikes that
were poorly maintained or not maintained at all (from [VER 09]) (see color section)