A storm described as a mini-tornado has left a trail of destruction in Townsville, with up to 30 homes damaged and 8000 residents without power.
People have described taking shelter in bathrooms when the storm hit the north Queensland city early on Tuesday, tearing iron off roofs and downing powerlines in the suburbs of Vincent, Pimlico and Gulliver.
Premier Anna Bligh says residents endured a terrifying experience.
"It appears to be something akin to a mini-tornado," she told reporters in Cairns.
Ms Bligh will travel to Townsville to inspect the damage later in the day.
The Department of Community Safety says 25 to 30 homes lost part or all of their roof, and there were 38 calls for help.
Beth Simmonds, who lives in the worst-hit suburb of Vincent, says the storm hit without warning.
She broke her arm and was "very shaken", she said.
"I have a roof, which is wonderful, but my neighbours don't," she told ABC radio.
"I've lost a whole heap of windows so I've got a whole lot of broken items in my house.
"I think it's just one of those freak things. I have a friend who lives less than a kilometre away and they didn't have any problems."
Another Vincent resident, Melanie Smith, said the storm had carried off her recycling bin. "Our place is fine, but someone's iron roof is in our backyard," she told AAP.
In Aitkenvale, a resident identified only as Ann told ABC radio she was terrified as the storm raged.
"Horrendous. I've never been so frightened in my life," she said.
"It was just banging and noise and when we got up everybody's roofs were all over the place.
"I can stand at my kitchen window and see two houses in Willis Street without their roofs. They're gone. One was wrapped around a car across the road."
Ergon Energy spokesman John Fowler says about 8000 homes were blacked out across Townsville.
"It's going to take a while to restore," he said.
Bureau of Meteorologist senior forecaster Brett Harrison said the highest recorded wind gust was 111km/h at Townsville Airport just after 5am. Townsville had 60mm of rain in the hour to 6am.
The storm cell was not unexpected, Mr Harrison said, and the bureau had issued warnings of severe rain and wind gusts for the region.
Those warnings remain current.
Mr Harrison said the bureau was not describing it as a tornado as there were no reports of a funnel. It was similar to the storm cell that ripped through The Gap in Brisbane a few years ago.
Wild weather also caused problems elsewhere in Queensland's north and far north.
About 20 people had to be rescued on Monday night after being trapped between two causeways near Cairns, the Department of Community Safety said.
Another man had to be rescued from the back of his ute on Mission Beach early on Tuesday morning.
"SES units from Cairns, Gordonvale and Babinda have assisted in the rescue of about 20 people from floodwater in Little Mulgrave," the DCS told AAP.
Meanwhile, a landslide at Ellis Beach cut the Captain Cook Highway, while several other major roads including the Gillies Highway had been cut by localised flooding, police said.
Since 9am (AEST) on Monday more than 300mm of rain had been recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology's Tung Oil weather station south of Cairns, while 241mm was recorded at Bucklands, 245mm at Corsis Alert and 250mm at Clyde Road.
Flood warnings have been issued for coastal and adjacent inland catchments from Cairns to Bowen, including the Tully and Murray Rivers (minor flooding), the Bohle River (moderate) and Don River (minor).
There are also flood warnings for the Norman River (minor) and Gilbert River (moderate).
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