Most of Mackay has "dodged a bullet" despite some homes and buildings being swamped by flooding caused by Cyclone Debbie, says city mayor Greg Williamson.
Mr Williamson says he completed an extensive helicopter survey of the Mackay region on Thursday, including the flood-affected Eton and Homebush areas.
Floodwaters forced some residents onto roofs and even reached the top level of some two-storey homes.
Despite damage to some Eton and Pioneer Valley homes, though, Mr Williamson said the vast majority of the Mackay region had escaped relatively unscathed based on what he'd seen.
"We were saying that we have dodged a bullet and we have certainly done that," he told reporters on Thursday afternoon.
"The area has come through pretty well."
Emergency services had rescued about 90 people, some from their cars and the roofs of homes after 400mm to 800mm of rain fell in Mackay in the previous three days, overflowing the Kinchant and Middle Creek Dams.
About 40 people were rescued by swift water crews in the Homebush area, just southwest of Mackay, and were moved to the West Leagues Club.
Mr Williamson said beachfront homes at Midge Point had incurred superficial damage and some residents even joked about now enjoying uninterrupted views after the cyclone took out most of the trees.
"They are sitting at their beachfront homes with a view they never had before," he said.
The community, however, is running out of fuel for generators that are keeping power on at some homes and government buildings.
About 58,000 premises are without electricity.
Locals are being urged to conserve water but the situation is no longer desperate.
Earlier, the council feared the region only had 24 hours of potable water left but the situation eased after power was returned to some pumps and generators.
Roads across the Mackay region have been eroded and pot holes big enough to swallow a car have surfaced along the Sarina Range.
