FLOOD-stricken residents still cleaning up from Monday's torrential downpours last night slammed a government disaster relief handout as mean and stingy.

An estimated 3500 houses and business in Cairns and surrounds were flooded when falls of up to 380mm drenched the Far North, with the damage bill yesterday estimated at more than $3 million.

To view photos from Monday's floods, click here.

As the clean-up continued - and the weather bureau warned the monsoonal trough would return later in the week - the State and Federal governments yesterday offered $165 to individuals and to $765 for families as part of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangement.

The handout has been offered to people living in the Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Croydon, Tablelands and Hinchinbrook council areas.

Flood victim Sue Frazer, whose family lives in Blantyre Close, Manunda, was one of those unimpressed with the package.

She said her damage bills were likely to be more than $2000.

"They can put up your car registration and council can put up rates, but they can only come up with $765 for families," she said.

"And the $165 per person is mean. A lot of individuals might be old pensioners who could be worse off than families. It's just stingy."

Fellow Manunda resident Cherrie Simpson was counting the cost after water swept through her family's Dollison St home.

"We've got a broken phone, damaged mattresses, cupboards, a bookshelf and electrical wirings," she said.

"Now one of our doors won't close because of the swelling.

"There are people who are worse off than us and I think the Government could have been a lot more generous."

Pensioner Denyse Hite of Brinsmead had trees fall on her house. "We would have hoped the government provided more and treated it on a case-by-case basis," she said.

The State Government has defended the scheme and said it may not be the last aid instalment.

A spokeswoman for Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said they would take advice from local governments about extra aid.

"The State Government is constantly getting advice from local government about the needs on the ground," she said.

Aid to small businesses is also a possibility, given the number affected across Cairns.

Among the affected business owners have been Fiona Moloney from Kuts and Kurls on Hoare St, Manunda, who lost valuable computers and equipment.

"The water was totally through the whole shop, through the back, through our computers and electrical points," she said.

Cairns Mayor Val Schier said the damage bill from the floods was expected to take weeks to assess but conservative estimates revealed costs could reach $3 million

She said it was hard to calculate the number of people affected as many did not ask for help, but council and SES estimates suggested about 3500 homes and businesses were flooded.

Copperlode Dam remains above the spillway.

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