Bureau of Meteorology says heavy rain and winds could affect communities near north of Townsville and south of Mackay

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Cyclone Iris has reformed off the Queensland northern coast and already sodden communities are bracing for further downpours and damaging winds.

Iris regained cyclone strength on Monday morning and around midday was a category one storm, 310km east of Cairns and 330km north-east of Townsville.

The Bureau of Meteorology said it could strengthen further and while it would come closer to the coast, it was not expected to make landfall.

Communities between Rollingstone, just north of Townsville, and Sarina, just south of Mackay were warned to brace for potentially flooding rains and damaging winds.

Tropical Cyclone Nora: Queensland on alert for destructive winds Read more

“Iris is expected to continue moving south-west for most of the day today, before becoming slow moving tonight. On Tuesday the system is expected to turn east and move away from the Queensland coast,” the bureau said on Monday.

Affected communities could start to feel winds gusting beyond 100km/h from Monday evening and into Tuesday. And very heavy rain could start falling from Monday evening.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Iris regained cyclone strength on Monday morning. Photograph: Japan Meteorological Agency



The bureau said as much as 200mm of rain could fall in 24 hours in catchments that were already saturated from rain Iris delivered on its first sweep along the Queensland coast, and then from Cyclone Nora.

A flood watch remained current for coastal catchments between Rollingstone and Sarina.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Nora dumped over a metre of rain on the north and far north of the state over the past week, causing widespread flooding.

The emergency services minister, Craig Crawford, said it was important to be prepared given how saturated the ground was: “With more heavy rain and strong winds around the corner, I know we will once again see QFES personnel right across Queensland step up to the job.”

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said the cyclone was not expected to affect the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

“Down on the Gold Coast we do expect the Games to continue as normal,” she said.

Palaszczuk urged people heading back from the Easter break to exercise extreme caution on the road.

Extra swift-water rescue crews and flood boat operators have been sent into all major population centres expected to feel the effects of the cyclone.