KARUMBA and Normanton in the Gulf could be isolated for weeks in the wake of cyclone Olga as swollen rivers continue to rise, cutting off all roads.

Pictures: Cyclone Olga 

The category 1 storm, which crossed the coast early Saturday morning, caused minimal damage to homes but it brought down trees and dumped a lot of rain.

The Flinders, Norman and Einasleigh rivers all rose yesterday with further rises and major floods expected today.

Based on upstream river levels on the Norman River, a minor flood peak is expected at Normanton within days.

Normanton resident Calvin Gallagher said it was the third year in a row the Gulf towns had been cut off from Cairns to the east and Mt Isa to the south.

"The cyclone went down the Norman and Flinders catchment," he said.

"It could be a while before we can get out again."

Cyclone news & information  

Mr Gallagher, who runs a butcher shop at Normanton, said the cyclone was not much more than a big tropical thunderstorm but it was the rising rivers and flooding which was now a major
concern.

He said business would now have to consider the logistics of getting stock into the flooded communities.

SES Mt Isa area director Elliott Dunn said yesterday it was a close call for Normanton and Karumba but both communities escaped with only minor damage.

He said it was perfect weather yesterday and it only took a day to clear cyclone damage at Normanton and two days at Karumba.

"In Karumba, there was a little more damage, with more trees down, trees on cars, and also one went through a room at a hotel, while in Normanton there were only a few trees down," he said.

"It was moving so fast, it didn’t really have the chance to do much damage."

Mr Dunn said while the communities were cut off by flood waters, it was not expected to be as serious as last year, which saw the region cut off for more than two months.

Guests evacuated from Karumba’s Sunset Caravan Park in the wake of cyclone Olga yesterday returned and helped the owners remove more than a dozen fallen trees.

Owner Maralyn Gruneklle said damage was minimal in the coastal community.

"It was mainly trees that went down," she said.

"The ground was just so soft and when the wind came, it just pushed the trees over."

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