Wednesday 19th of February 8.25a.m. Showers from midnite. Heavy overcast now returning after early sun. 5.5 / 7.4kph ESE, Hg 60%, 22C / 70.9F top of 23C / 73F. Shower or two.
Moon is 66.8%
More rain forecast for flood-affected parts of Queensland, chance of cyclone forming
1 day ago
By Hannah McEwan, Kirra Grimes, and Grace Nakamura
The rain has eased but rivers continue to flood in the state's north. (Supplied: Ergon Energy Network)
Residents in flood-affected parts of northern Queensland have enjoyed a brief dry spell, but isolated heavy rainfall could hamper recovery efforts.
Meteorologist Livio Regano said the weather had calmed in general but there was some rain on the way.
"There's very little rain falling over North Queensland," he said.
"That will change now over coming days, because we've got a south-easterly surge moving up the coast."
Mr Regano said there could be isolated falls of 50 to 100 millimetres over the next few days in parts of the state's north.
The heaviest rain
islikely to fall on the Cassowary Coast and in the Daintree.
"Most places will get a lot less than that, but it's something to watch out for," Mr Regano said.
The rain is expected to ease on Thursday and Friday.
Flood warnings remain in place for the Flinders, Thomson and Connors-Isaac rivers, although Mr Regano said they were generally "on the way down".
'So traumatised as it is'
Ingham Family Medical Practice manager Jessica Lavarini said many would be distressed at the prospect of more heavy rain.
"People are so traumatised as it is now," she said.
"You've still got people who have nowhere to live.
"So if they're projecting more heavy rains for us it's going to cause widespread panic."
The medical practice reopened last Monday after being closed for a week.
Ms Lavarini said although the flooding had subsided, the community was "in a bad way" and that the health impacts were starting to show.
"We're seeing a lot of people presenting with wounds that are infected from floodwaters, that have fevers, that are unwell," she said.
Mould 'grows and grows'
Ms Lavarini said the spread of mould was also a serious concern.
"If people are living in a house that's got mould on it, and they're breathing that in that can affect their respiratory systems," she said.
"Without running air-cons to keep places dry, the mould just grows and grows and grows."
Ms Lavarini said health professionals across the region were exhausted.
"I just said to the girls in my office, I'm absolutely on the edge of burnout — like I emotionally am just at my wit's end," she said.
"Nurses are even doing home visits to people to do [blood] tests and check their sugar levels, because [patients] haven't got any other means of transport — they lost their cars in the flood."
'A great relief' in the west
Flooding rains in the west have brought relief and delight to areas grappling with dry conditions.
Floodwaters from further north have been snaking their way through western Queensland rivers since late last week.
Central west patrol group inspector Chris Smith said the recent rain was like "pennies from heaven".
"It's such a great relief for the broader community," he said.
Over the weekend the Thomson River in Longreach rose above moderate flood level at a peak of 4.63 metres.
The Thomson River is expected to stay above the minor flood level for the next few days but is slowly falling.
Outback towns such as Stonehenge and Jundah are next in the water's path.
Moderate flooding is predicted later this week.
