SUPERMARKET shelves could start looking bare over the coming days as rising floodwaters threaten to hinder the movement of freight travelling between Cairns and Townsville.

The Bruce Highway is currently closed north of Ingham at Gairloch Washway.

The highway is also closed south of Ingham at Andy's Roadhouse for northbound traffic.

There is also water over the road at Rollingstone.

A Blenners Transport worker said the company still expected to get trucks through, but it would depend on how the weather situation played out over the coming days.

Dozens of important arterial roads across the region were completely shut off, with residents in places like Georgetown and Bamaga urged to hunker down for an unknown period of isolation.

RELATED: Far North man rescued from roof of car

Ex-Cyclone Imogen has brought one clear positive point with Cairns Regional Council lifting water restrictions after Copperlode Dam rose to 83 per cent capacity.

Tinaroo Falls Dam still has some catching up to do after hitting 48.3 per cent capacity - up just 2.2 per cent since Friday.

Showers are forecast to continue across the Far North throughout the week, with the possibility of weather intensifying over the weekend.

Meteorologist Kimba Wong said most of the rainfall was between Tully and Townsville on Tuesday, but there was a chance of showers redeveloping around Babinda.

The Bureau of Meteorology has also warned that severe storms are possible in much of the Far North again on Wednesday afternoon, including in Cairns.

Nearly 80mm bucketed down on the Cairns CBD in an hour on Tuesday afternoon as a storm passed over the city.

In total, than 220mm of rain fell at Bulgan Creek, near Tully, in the 24 hours until 9am this morning, while South Mission Beach had 189mm and Silkwood 165mm.

Closer to Cairns, the racecourse had 127mm and Kamerunga 89mm.

Footage showing young children in danger of being swept into a large culvert at Edmonton prompted a renewed warning about the risks of entering floodwater.

Cairns Regional Council has also been forced to temporarily close the Babinda Transfer Station due to flooding.

The venue will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.

"Depending on weather conditions, it is anticipated the facility will reopen on Friday," a council spokeswoman said.

A bulk bin has been placed at the council depot on Council Lane, Babinda (off Peever Road) for residents to dispose of household waste.

CASSOWARY COAST ROAD CLOSURES

Ellerbeck Road, Carruchan

Bulgun Road, Walter Hill

Bulgun Road, Bulgun

Tully-Mission Beach Road, Birkalla

Originally published as Freight fears as flooding cuts Bruce Highway