Queenslanders hit by severe flooding have been warned to expect more heavy rainfall over the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology today issued a severe weather warning between Tully and Ayr in the state’s north. Locations that may be affected include Townsville, Palm Island and badly flood-hit Ingham.

“We do have a potentially dangerous situation unfolding again across northern and central Queensland,” senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said.  

The Insurance Council of Australia declared the recent floods a significant insurance event on Sunday. Claims numbers have reached about 4000, ICA said today. An updated figure will be released on Monday.  

The bureau says widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible from tonight and through the weekend. Wet soils and river catchments mean there is higher than normal vulnerability to flash flooding.

Six-hourly rainfall totals of 140-200mm are possible, as are isolated 24-hourly totals of up to 250mm.

“Rainfall is expected to increase from late tonight, with isolated heavy falls possible through the remainder of the weekend, before easing during Monday morning,” it said, warning of the risk of landslides and debris across roads.

Ms Scully says heavy rain is expected to intensify across northern and central parts of Queensland from as early as this evening.

“Moderate to major flooding is occurring already across this region, so grounds are very wet, catchments swollen, and any further rainfall is going to see very quick responses from the river system,” she said.

There are moderate to major flood warnings across the region, with the Murray, Herbert, Haughton and Cape river systems likely to be affected.  

“The monsoon trough is expected to sharpen, which is driving the intensification of the rainfall, and then we’ve got this tropical low that’s expected to develop off the Queensland coast [and] has a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone, but it is expected to move eastwards away from the mainland,” Ms Scully said.

“It's not really until Monday that it really starts to scoot away, dragging with it the heavier rainfall.”

Aon says more than 2000 homes have been affected by the flooding – one of north Queensland’s worst such events in six decades.

Affected areas have suffered significant damage, widespread power cuts and hundreds of evacuations, with at least two people killed. About 10,000 homes have experienced power outages. 

“Given the additional forecast rainfall potentially exacerbating the ongoing floods, total economic and insured losses may reach into the tens of millions of US dollars, possibly higher,” Aon said.

RACQ says that by 4pm yesterday, it had received 386 insurance claims, including 263 for home and 123 for motor.  

“Many people in the community and our members have been impacted, and supporting them through this recovery is our top priority,” CEO Insurance Trent Sayers said.

“This is particularly important for our communities north of Townsville, and as soon as we can gain access to the affected areas our team of assessors and builders will be ready to assist members.

“We know some residents are yet to return to their homes, and we expect our claims numbers will continue to rise in the coming days.”