The North Queensland flood disaster has officially been declared a catastrophe after a slow moving monsoon dumped record-breaking rain over the Townsville region for days.

Here are some of the most powerful images from the natural disaster that has inundated suburbs and threatened lives.

Water is slowly receding in some Townsville suburbs but homes in Railway Estate are still surrounded by water. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Floodwaters are slowing receding in the Townsville suburb of Railway Estate. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

George from Hermit Park in flooded Townsville is moving food and fuel to his son’s house down the road. ( ABC News: Tom Major )

Authorities rescue elderly residents into the back of a large truck during flooding at Hermit Park in Townsville on February 4, 2019. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

A damaged car sits in floodwaters in the suburb of Railway Estate in Townsville on February 2, 2019. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

A man is helped out of the flood water in Townsville in north Queensland by two Army personnel on February 4, 2019. ( Facebook: 4th Regiment Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery )

A flooded street with a 'Road Closed' sign in the Townsville suburb of Railway Estate on February 2, 2019. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

Residents Stephen Jubbs, Stacie Little and Stephen Dobbs take their boat around floodwaters in Rosslea in Townsville in north Queensland on February 2, 2019. ( AAP: Andrew Rankin )

A crocodile discovered in a driveway in Mundingburra in north Queensland on February 3, 2019. ( Facebook: Erin Hahn )

Main streets of Townsville become flooded before the dam gates were even fully open. This shot of Kings Road near Castletown Shopping Centre on February 3, 2019. ( ABC News: Josh Bavas )

The floodwater current in Hermit Park in Townsville is so strong people are struggling to stand on February 4, 2019. ( ABC News: Sarah Rafferty )

Hundreds of Townsville residents have been evacuated after the floodgates to the city's Ross River Dam were fully opened.

Water flows over spillway of Ross River Dam between Kelso and Mount Stuart in Townsville in north Queensland in late January 2019. ( Facebook: Travis Robertson from Oz Cyclone Chasers )

SES volunteers rescue a resident from their flooded property in Rosslea in Townsville in north Queensland on February 2, 2019. ( AAP: Andrew Rankin )

One of Townsville's flooded suburbs on February 2, 2019. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Resident Matt holds his rescued cat, Misty, in an SES boat in flooded Townsville in north Queensland on February 3, 2019. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Floodwaters rush over the Aplins Weir in Townsville on February 1, 2019 after days of torrential rain. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

Army personnel fill sandbags in flooded Townsville in north Queensland on February 3, 2019. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Army tanks move through the flooded streets of Townsville on February 4, 2019. ( ABC News: Tom Major )

The flooded streets of Giru, south of Townsville on January 31, 2019. ( Facebook: Dwyer Aviation Services )

Members of Joint Task Force 658 deliver pallets of bottled water donated by IGA Garbutt to Cungulla during the floods, February 4, 2019. ( Facebook: 3rd Brigade- Australian Army )

The SES rescuing a man from his flooded property in the Townsville suburb of Rosslea on February 2, 2019. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

As the damage bill for the disaster is still being assessed, residents face a massive clean-up ahead.

Clayton and Carmel Linning outside their muddy, flood-damaged house on February 5, 2019 after floodwaters swept through Townsville. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Carmel Linning looks at damage inside her house on February 5, 2019 after floods swept through Townsville in north Queensland. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Dave Mitchell helps clean his brother's flood-affected motel in Townsville in north Queensland on February 5, 2019. ( AAP: Dan Peled )

Residents clean up their homes as floodwaters ease in parts of Townsville in north Queensland on February 5, 2019. ( AAP: Dave Acree )

Resident Steve Sinclair stands among his flood-damaged property at Bluewater, near Townsville in north Queensland on February 1,2019. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Floodwaters around a house at Bluewater, north of Townsville, on February 1, 2019. ( Facebook: Nathan McDonald )

Ten-year-old Ky Brennan stands in water in his loungeroom of his flood-ravaged house in Bluewater, north of Townsville in north Queensland on January 31, 2018. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Flood-damaged kitchen in a house at Bluewater, north of Townsville in north Queensland on January 31, 2018. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Resident Roger Goodwin holds a sign 'The Wipeout Beach Bar' among his flooded-ravaged home at Bluewater, north of Townsville in north Queensland on January 31, 2018. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )

Residents from a house were evacuated after part of a hill gave way, causing damage to a retaining wall and unit complex in Townsville in north Queensland on January 31, 2019. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

A landslide cuts the road at Hervey Range, west of Townsville in north Queensland on January 30, 2019. ( Supplied: Jean Ruddell )

A much calmer Ross River under a bridge in Townsville as floodwaters go down on February 5, 2019. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

The clean-up starts at a house in Townsville as floodwaters recede on February 5, 2019. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Muddy pool at a house in Townsville on February 5, 2019 after floods hit the north Queensland city. ( ABC News: Josh Bavas )

Man sweeps muddy water out of his house in Townsville on February 5, 2019, after floods in the north Queensland city. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

But it hasn't been all bad news, as drought-stricken graziers in the state's west rejoice as the deluge brings much needed rain.

A welcome sign at Julia Creek in flood water after 230 millimetres of rain was recorded during the weather event. ( Supplied: McKinlay Shire Council )

Floodwaters creep closer to the road at Julie Creek after heavy rainfall. ( Supplied: McKinlay Shire Council )

Young Freddie Griffin celebrates the rain playing in puddles at his drought-ravaged home at Cloncurry, east of Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, on February 1, 2019. ( Supplied: Hamish Griffin )

The Cloncurry River flooding on February 3, 2019, after heavy rain lashed the Cloncurry and Mount Isa regions in north-west Queensland. ( Supplied: Hamish Griffin )

Floodwater runs over the road in Julia Creek in Western Queensland as a result of the rain event in Townsville. ( Supplied: McKinlay Shire Council )

Water inundated the road leading up to the Cloncurry Weir after heavy rain lashed north-west Queensland, causing flooding around Cloncurry and the Mount Isa regions on February 3, 2019. ( Supplied: Hamish Griffin )

Toddler Toby Campbell plays in a muddy puddle after rain at drought-ravaged Rosebud Station, between Cloncurry and Mount Isa in north-west Queensland on January 31, 2019. ( Supplied: Rosebud Station )

Two children play in water in the bush after a deluge at Stawellton Station, north-east of Richmond in north-west Queensland in late January 2019. ( Facebook: Jacqueline A Jones )

Fast-flowing floodwaters through trees into Cloncurry Dam, east of Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, on February 1, 2019. ( Supplied: Hamish Griffin )

Floodwaters cover sign and driveway at Yan Yean station turn-off at Richmond in north-west Queensland on February 1, 2019. ( Supplied: Ben Tate Fox Helicopter Svc )

Young boy leans on verandah rail during deluge at home in drought-stricken Stawellton Station, north-east of Richmond in north-west Queensland in late January 2019. ( Facebook: Jacqueline A Jones )

Floodwaters at Hazelwood Channels in Richmond in north-west Queensland on February 1, 2019. ( Supplied: David Fox )