FALLS OF UP TO 300MM IN 24 HOURS CUT OFF TOWNS AND FLOOD ROADS

TOWNS across the region will kick into recovery mode today in the wake of a deluge that caused widespread traffic chaos in the Far North yesterday.

Parts of Tully and Ravenshoe were completely cut off after the towns’ main bridges flooded and roads were shut.

Layne Threlsall, who works at Tully’s Mt Tyson Hotel on Butler St, said she would be staying at her grandparents’ house overnight.

“I have to stay here in Tully tonight because I live in Feluga and I can’t get home as the road is cut off at the Banyan,” she said. Ms Threlsall said the pub had been busy all afternoon with many farm workers unable to get to work at properties outside of town.

“All the bananas workers are off, because the farms are out of town ... a lot of the schools are closed as well and most of the shops in town are shut,” she said.

Swelling in the Johnstone River cut off the Bruce Highway and put low-lying Innisfail properties at risk of flooding.

The Bruce Highway was also under water further north at the Banyan River and at Dean Road.

A number of shoppers at Stockland Cairns shopping centre at Earlville scrambled to save their vehicles after the outside carpark was flooded.

Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford reminded drivers to heed flood warnings.

“We advise everyone to adhere to road blocks, even if a road is partially blocked, it’s blocked for a very good reason,” he said.

“But make no mistake, this is very welcome rain for the farmers in the area, we’re anticipating that the water will be hopefully cleared within seven days.”

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted more showers in the coming week, but the heaviest rains should ease for now, with the trough over the region heading towards the Cape.