RESIDENTS are again demanding answers from the Cairns City Council after flash floods lapped at their doors in a Gordonvale street and a Redlynch unit complex.

With possible moderate to heavy rainfall predicted last night, State Emergency Service crews around the region had stockpiled dozens of sandbags to be ready to respond, SES duty officer Daryl Camp said.

In Klarwein Close, on the outskirts of Gordonvale, about a third of the houses in the street called in sandbag reinforcements about 8pm on Wednesday after the two mobile pumps stationed there failed to keep up with the deluge.

About 200mm of rain fell in the area in about three hours.

Julie Brettner said she was trapped in her home for several hours, with water at least 1m deep at the bottom of her drive and ankle-deep in her carport and front and back patios.

"This is the first time it’s happened where it’s been right up to the front door like that," Ms Brett-ner said.

Neighbour Bev Spurrier said she was taking no chances and had sealed a board to the bottom of her doorway with silicone.

Division 1 Cr Paul Gregory said the big pump that usually serviced the street was awaiting new parts from Mexico and two smaller ones had failed to keep up.

At Redlynch Grove, where an overflowing drain flooded the new 98-unit complex for the third time in recent weeks, residents were furious to again have to bring in sandbags to barricade their homes.

Residents’ group spokesman Dennis Scales said the open drain on Kamerunga Rd was also a danger to motorists as it had no fence or lights and was impossible to see when covered in water.

A council spokeswoman said the council believed the complex’s drainage was deficient and would hold talks with the developer today.

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