“We strain to the last moment, the last play.”

Ties have been strained in recent years by growing concerns about the actions of China's Communist leaders, allegations of Chinese hacking and spying and its jailing of pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong.

"Increased recovery costs will likely drive up premiums and may reduce property insurance availability," she said, adding that the state was also facing potential long-term damage to property values and strain to public finances.

The Department of Water and Power said the issue arose due to unprecedented strain on the system.

NHS bosses have said the hospital system is under strain due to the surge in flu cases, where about 5,000 are being reported every day.