In the worst flood-affected town of Ingham, 2,900 homes were swamped, including 50 which were completely inundated, emergency authorities said.

Ellie did not produce significant wind damage due to its relatively weak wind field. But its remnants swirled over the coast between Townsville and Cairns for more than a day, dumping as much as 14 inches (360 mm) of rainfall in some areas.

The ongoing heavy precipitation caused many of the region’s rivers and streams to rush over their banks, carrying with them numerous crocodiles.

One of the reptiles was run over by a car on a Townsville street on Tuesday. Wildlife personnel said the reptile lost a few teeth and suffered bruises, but was expected to recover and be released back into the wild.

The Queensland coast was bracing for further flooding late in the week as forecasters warned of another cyclone threatening to develop offshore.

Parts of northern Queensland have suffered from ongoing severe flooding since the second week of January.

The initial inundations were triggered by a combination of high astronomical tides and slowly moving Cyclone Charlotte, which struck the region from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the west on January 11-12.

Cyclone Ellie Track

Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS
BBC Video of Cyclone Ellie Flooding