The government announced 14 different flood relief funding pots worth almost 450 million last winter over a period of about two months.

Fishery managers counter the local effects of agricultural and industrial pollution, insensitive flood relief and drainage schemes, excessive water abstraction and inadequately treated sewage.

Right now, the military seems to be gearing for another spell in charge as the government's flood relief operations have been seen as inefficient and inadequate.

He was in flood-hit towns, shaking hands with various flood relief workers, who, because they were shaking hands with the prime minister, were not doing any actual flood relief work.

Civil engineering activity slowed sharply, however, with some firms reporting an easing in the amount of business coming from flood relief work earlier in the year.