People have been evacuated from Northern Territory floodwaters as far north Queensland braces for another cyclone, which authorities confirm would be called Kirrily.
Emergency housing has barely arrived in the region, which is recovering from record flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper just weeks ago.
However more severe weather may be on the way with Kirrily set to form in the Coral Sea by Sunday.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles said there was a chance the system could move away from Australia and head towards New Caledonia but warned it may track back to the state's coast, with Townsville down to Rockhampton in the firing line.
"If it were to cross the coast, it would be around Wednesday of next week," he said on Friday.
"It's a good time for Queenslanders in that part of the coast ... to prepare for the cyclone."
The Bureau of Meteorology said Kirrily was a significant risk of having a severe impact.
⛈️QLD Storm Forecast for Fri 19/1. Severe storms with heavy to locally intense rainfall likely in inland SEQ and the Wide Bay & Burnett, this could lead to dangerous flash flooding. Heavy rain with storms is possible in parts of southern, central, western and FNQ again today. — Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) pic.twitter.com/fGQywrYFjmJanuary 18, 2024
"It is still looking like it may track back towards the Queensland coast but exactly where it moves toward is still a little bit unclear," a bureau spokesman told AAP.
Communities north of Cairns are wary of more extreme weather as they deal with Jasper's aftermath.
The area was one of the worst hit, with houses destroyed and almost 300 people evacuated from Wujal Wujal.
Heavy rain continues to lash the north tropical coast with 24 hour totals of 166mm in the Gilbert River catchment and 130mm at Mareeba.
Temporary housing has begun to arrive north of Cairns, marking an Australian first, with the Albanese government deploying emergency shelters dubbed Humanihuts and the Defence Force helping deliver a convoy of the containers by barge.
More than 30 huts and six bathrooms have been sent to Wujal Wujal, Degarra and Ayton.
Each shelter has its own power and water, and can sleep up to four people.
Flooding has meanwhile hit the NT with about 100 people evacuated and motorists left stranded.
Temporary housing in containers has arrived north of Cairns, barged in by the Defence Force. (HANDOUT/FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT)
There was a report on Thursday evening of a helicopter pilot rescuing three people from a truck roof and taking them to Victoria River Roadhouse, west of Katherine.
Heavy rain is set to continue through to the weekend, with 690mm recorded across seven days at Wadeye south of Darwin.
There have been widespread falls of 100mm, with heavy showers lashing the Victoria River catchment, closing roads and flooding communities.
About 40 people from Pigeon Hole, a settlement on Bilinara Aboriginal Land Trust surrounded by Victoria River Downs Pastoral Property, have been relocated while another 50 at nearby Daguragu left for Kalkarindji.
Police predict the Pigeon Hole community could be flooded for up to a week.
Authorities are also on standby at Daly River where flood levels were being monitored.
In Western Australia, about 10,000 people are still without power with outages affecting the Wheatbelt, Goldfields and Great Southern regions following recent storms.
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