Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the flooding emergency is far from over as a rescue operation continues near Mackay and the state's southeast faces flash flooding.
The premier is heading back to Brisbane after visiting areas hit by the category four Cyclone Debbie earlier this week.
She will attend emergency meetings about the crisis that's forced the closure of every single school in Queensland's southeast corner.
Ms Palaszczuk has warned people to stay off the roads and limit travel to essential journeys.
With falls of up to 200 millimetres expected in some areas, residents are being reminded of what happened during the summer of disasters in 2011 when floods and cyclone Yasi hit.
The heavy rain is expected to hit Brisbane and both the Sunshine and Gold Coasts as well as the Darling Downs, Granite Belt and Wide Bay region.
Disaster assistance has been announced for producers affected in the Whitsunday and Mackay Regional Council areas who have been badly hit after Debbie struck on Tuesday.
Watch: The Queensland premier gets a birds-eye view of Cyclone Debbie's destruction
Winter vegetable crops, sugar cane fields and the cattle industry have been hit hard, Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Minister Bill Byrne said.
"At this preliminary stage, the most significant agricultural impacts are damage to horticulture crops, sugar cane fields, irrigation equipment and cane train infrastructure," he said.
"The beef cattle industry is also impacted from the high winds, debris and flooding."
Meanwhile, the massive clean up in the disaster zone will resume on Thursday, amid fears heavy rainfall linked to the now ex-tropical cyclone Debbie will continue to wreak havoc in the state.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten are inspecting damage and overseeing relief efforts first-hand in affected regions.
The prime minister received a briefing at the crisis co-ordination centre in Canberra on Wednesday and promised federal help for the region.
"It's now our job to make sure that every agency pulls together and, indeed, the private sector, particularly the banks and insurance companies ... to provide support to the people of north Queensland who have had a very tough day and night," Mr Turnbull told reporters.
WATCH: SBS Correspondent Stefan Armbruster speaks to Airlie Beach locals
Flooding has stranded residents of communities already battered by Debbie, with the roads connecting Airlie Beach, Bowen and Proserpine cut off.
The Bruce Highway was cut off both north and south of Mackay and residents living downstream from the Kinchant Dam have been urged to self-evacuate or move to higher ground.
Major flood warnings were also issued for Connors, Isaac and Pioneer rivers, while lesser warnings applied to Theresa Creek, as well as the Don, Proserpine, Kolan and lower Burdekin rivers.
A number of people remain stranded in flood waters near Mackay and authorities say they can't yet say how bad the situation is.
Some people have already been rescued but there are concerns for between 20 and 30 people around Eton in the Pioneer Valley.
About 1200 Australian Defence Force personnel have been committed to the recovery operation, Queensland Assist 17, to support emergency services workers and volunteers.
They will be supported by RAAF aircraft and HMAS Choules, a landing ship with a range of disaster relief capabilities.
While seventy doctors and nurses from Townsville have been sent to Bowen and Proserpine.
Sunwater has also advised outflows may occur from seven dams if forecast rainfall eventuates.
About 63,000 households across north Queensland had no power on Wednesday, with some expected to be in the dark for a week.
There's expected to be massive economic impacts for farmers in the cyclone zone tourism, with Debbie inflicting significant damage to Whitsunday Island resorts.
A 300km stretch of cane fields has been ravaged in a region responsible for about half of Australia's $2 billion sugar industry.
Worst hit areas
Airlie Beach, Proserpine and Bowen bore the brunt of a category four Debbie packing 260km/h winds when it crossed the coast on Tuesday.
"I've just been advised that all the roads have been cut off around Bowen, Airlie Beach, Proserpine," the premier told ABC television on Wednesday.
Andrew Willcox, the mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council, has been driving around Bowen to check out Debbie's damage and his initial assessment was not good.
"I'm trying to make sure everyone is OK," he told ABC television.
"It looks like a war zone."
Hundreds of tourists and staff still stranded on islands in Whitsunday are expected to be brought back to the mainland on Thursday.
'Like a fighter jet'
There's been significant damage to homes with roofs lying in yards in Airlie Beach.
Airlie Beach local Troy Weller told SBS the entire experience "was very scary" for his wife and two young children.
"We bunkered down, made a bit of fun with the kids, built a bit of a shelter room in the bedroom, so that was good that kept us nice and safe," Mr Weller said.
"The sheer noise of it was just amazing. I've heard people before say it's the sound of a freight train, but it was like a fighter jet firing up," he added.
"It was just constant, you know, there was really no break in that noise."
"There were periods when we came outside, my wife and I, just to have a look at what was happening. We had a bit of damage around our house. Structurally-wise the house was fine, but all of our fences (were damaged).
"We live in an area with a lot of gum trees, so a lot of the gum trees and those kind of things have come down (and) made a bit of a mess around the place."
Mr Weller said other locals suffered far greater damage.
Damage in Lewis St above #airliebeach after #CycloneDebbie @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/dDWOPLB29R — Stefan Armbruster (@StefArmbruster) March 28, 2017
Mr Weller, who works at the Airlie Beach Woolworths, said the community ensured there were enough supplies to weather the aftermath.
"We did a lot of preparations to get this all right, to make sure that stock and that type of thing would be ready for the recovery, so that people can get food and get their shelves stocked again," he said.
Residents have flocked to the supermarket, which has reopened, buying supplies and leaving shelves bare.
Locals Luke and Nora said they bought whatever they could.
“We’ve got nothing left at home,” Luke said.
“We’ve got good attitudes, we’ve got the bare essentials so we’ve got enough to get through. We’ve got no power or water though.”
Despite the conditions, Luke said he’s more worried about the area’s tourism industry.
“I hope it bounces back in Airlie Beach, it’s still a beautiful place.”
Watch: Videos from Cyclone Debbie's aftermath
Watch: Malcolm Turnbull pledges support for Queensland residents
WATCH: Cyclone Debbie at Airlie Beach
