Storm Xynthia claimed 60 lives and left many homes and businesses severely damaged as it swept through Europe. Following the unending stream of natural diasasters in recent weeks, MEPs are now calling for a European Civil Protection force. But the devil i

EU S.O.S. squad

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Mopping up after Xynthia: sweeping   from Portugal to the Netherlands

mostly in France where some drowned in   their homes and energy supplies lost.

Among MEPs there’s growing support   for some kind of EU Civil Protection force.

In a disaster such as this we had to call in   a lot of emergency teams from outside

And it would raise Europe’s   profile if we had a real rescue force.

5 days earlier,   another storm hit Madeira,

a Portuguese archipelago 500 kilometres   out in the Atlantic.

Flash floods and mud slides   claimed more than 40 lives.

The disaster's scale was blamed on poor   urban planning and building standards.

The EU’s Solidarity Fund will help   but some want more prevention.

We should create a financial framework   directed towards prevention

that could help to correct situations that   increase the risk of disasters happening.

Recently several disasters occurred:   earthquakes in Haiti and Chile

and more recently in Turkey,   leaving many dead, injured and homeless.

should make their aircraft carriers   available for disaster relief.

What we need is in each of the world’s   big oceans to have one aircraft carrier

with its manpower trained in   disaster management work.

Now the important thing is   to speed up financial relief.

But MEPs also know   that better sea defences

and urban planning   could have saved many lives.