Flooding has caused havoc throughout north Queensland, where Ingham remains cut off and Townsville is accessible only from the south, but local insurer Suncorp says it’s prepared.

As a cyclone moves across the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued flood warnings for numerous rivers stretching from Cape York down into central and western Queensland.

A cyclone warning is also in place for coastal and island communities from Cape Shield in the Northern Territory to Karumba in Queensland, including Groote Eylandt, Borroloola and Mornington Island.

The rising floodwaters also caused the closure of the Bruce Highway between Bowen and Cairns at the weekend after the town of Giru was inundated.

Suncorp spokesman Jamin Smith says the insurer is ready to help customers with claims. “So far there has not been a significant increase in claims, but if customers do have claims we urge them to contact us as soon as they can so we can act on them quickly.”