Flood-hit communities starting to return to their homes are being warned to brace for more heavy downpours, which have already claimed the lives of two people, in the coming days.

Record-breaking rain has lashed north Queensland during the past week, sparking floods that have cut power, damaged roads and forced hundreds of people to flee.

There has been some relief with heavy rainfall easing, providing hope a massive clean-up facing the inundated region is set to finally begin.

However, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned major flooding is ongoing in multiple catchments despite the isolated and less widespread showers.

Major flood warnings were still in place for the Herbert and Haughton River catchments late on Tuesday after the region was lashed by rain.

“Water is still moving through these catchment systems so that risk of riverine flooding will continue … likely over the next few days as we gradually start to see river levels falling,” the bureau’s Miriam Bradbury said.

Widespread 24-hour rainfall totals across the coast dropped to 50mm to 100mm, with Mackay copping 193mm with around 200mm along the coastline spanning Cairns and Innisfail.

However, the bureau warned cumulative rainfall totals from the past week were driving the ongoing flood risk for the region.

Seven-day rainfall totals surpassed one metre for some areas with 1697mm recorded at Cardwell Range, 1693mm at Rollingstone and 1662mmm at Macknade Sugar Mill.

“Now that’s a huge amount of water to be moving through our waterways, rivers and creeks and is accounting for that ongoing flood risk … over the coming days,” Ms Bradbury said.

Ingham has been one of the worst hit, with power and road access cut as the nearby Herbert River rose beyond a 15.2m flood record set almost 60 years ago.

The community is reeling after an elderly woman’s body was found in a cane field on Tuesday.

The 82-year-old became the second flood-related fatality after days of downpours that have completely isolated the town, with fresh water, food and diesel supplies believed to be running low.

The Ingham community had already been rocked after a 63-year-old woman died when an SES boat helping people through floodwaters struck a tree and flipped on Sunday.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister on Wednesday said the latest fatality was devastating.

“That … is one of the places that’s had the most water through their town, the place that’s been isolated for a very long time,” she told Nine’s Today show, adding that more federal support and disaster relief payments are on the way.

The minister also said she had talks with Woolworths about getting food and other grocery supplies into the area.

“They’re obviously very engage with this challenge and the aerial support that is being provided by the Australian government is critical in resupplying these isolated communities,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Townsville community is breathing easier after the Ross River fell short of peaking at a major flood level on Tuesday morning.

It allayed fears that floodwaters would rival those that devastated the region in 2019, when two lives were lost and thousands of homes inundated.