The flood coverage below attributed England's wetter weather to 'the El Nino effect' (an upwelling of warm water in the equatorial Pacific), but it is more likely to be caused by the cold water of La Nina, the opposite of El Nino.
Ministers were warned months ago that the country faced heavy flooding this summer but too little was done to protect vulnerable towns and villages, The Observer can reveal.
As communities mopped up after the heavy flash flooding across the country and with the prospect of more to come, Gordon Brown yesterday promised local authorities that they would be given 100 per cent compensation for the costs of dealing with the rainfall.
But experts were asking why more was not done to shore up flood defences. Earlier this year, the Met Office and risk planners in Whitehall told ministers that because of the El Nino effect, which changes global weather patterns, this summer would have much wetter weather than usual.
However, at the same time, the government was planning to cut jobs at the Environment Agency, which deals with the defences. Water companies had also been prevented from building larger storm water drains and sewage systems because of the risk of rising water bills.
Brown said yesterday that he had been in contact with ministers for transport, the environment and local government to ensure that the response to the emergency was properly co-ordinated.
'We have acted quickly in what is an emergency,' said Brown in a televised statement. 'When you have a month's rain coming down and a month's water is being created in an hour or two, people have to act very quickly.'
But last night there was growing criticism of how the government has handled the chaos, particularly as there is no one minister with overall control of flood policy. Four separate departments have some responsibility, and those involved include Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, Cabinet Secretary Ed Miliband, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
Shadow Environment Secretary Peter Ainsworth said: 'This is an extreme weather event but there is a lack of clarity in the chain of command that has to be sorted out.' John Redwood, Conservative MP for Wokingham, Berks, said: 'There were no sandbags, no pumps and no ditches had been cleared. Why wasn't the army mobilised?'
Last night, as countryside from Gloucestershire to Lincolnshire was flooded, with hundreds being airlifted to safety, a further plea was made for people to stay indoors was issued as pressure on rescuers services reached a peak.
A West Mercia emergency services official asked people not to add to the difficulties in south Worcestershire, which has seen hundreds of people struggling to cope with homes under water: 'No one should travel unless absolutely necessary. Emergency services are now able to deal only with life-threatening calls.'
The threat last night was of new flooding from river banks bursting as water runs off hills. The Severn and the Thames as well as the Avon in the West Midlands were said to be at dangerously high levels, and warnings were put out to emergency services in these areas.
The government had ordered a Cabinet Office review of the floods in Hull and Sheffield. It will now also look at the events of the last few days, analysing how well prepared Britain was.
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Politicians in the United Kingdom have started calling for action after months of heavy rainfall have left parts of Britain in crisis from flooding and electricity and water shortages. Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young has called for an increased budget of around £1 billion a year to pay for flood defenses. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has suggested that the conditions were 'unprecedented', and would overwhelm even the best flood defenses, but said that the Environment Agency's capital expenditure would be increased from £600m to £800m by 2010/11.

Opposition leaders have similarly called for more money to be spent on flood defenses. Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell suggested that the flood risk was known about before it happened, and questioned the degree of preparedness in place.

Conservative leader David Cameron has called for a public inquiry into the crisis. The Conservative shadow Environment Secretary criticised a 'lack of clarity' in the command of clean up operations, and MP John Redwood has asked why the army was not mobilised in support.

The Government has ordered a Cabinet Office review of the flooding events.