Residents in a flood-hit town in Far North Queensland learned early today they have been left without drinking water.

Hinchinbrook Shire sent an alert to households in the town of Ingham this morning warning of a water supply failure and the water is not safe to drink.

“A timeframe for repairs is unknown however restoration is underway as a priority,” the message said.

It’s a major blow for the 4500 residents and the warning comes after an Australian Defence Force helicopter yesterday delivered a generator that was supposed to keep the water treatment plant operational.

Authorities in North Queensland are cautiously optimistic today that the worst of the flooding that claimed two lives is over as thousands of residents face a huge clean-up.

Emergency alerts have now been cancelled or downgraded, and residents are returning to see the damage that has been left behind in the regional city of Townsville, home to 200,00 people.

Many properties in the city’s “black zone” – the six suburbs most at risk of flooding – appear to have dodged major flooding damage.

Authorities say it is safe for residents to return to their homes, but they should take care.

Further north of Townsville, the town of Ingham has been has been cut off for past days, with power, food and water all scarce.

Although the worst of the severe weather has now passed, most homes are at least partially submerged, with residents who evacuated still unable to return.

Yesterday the Woolworths store reopened as police stood guard allowing only 20 people to enter at a time as supplies were rationed.

The Australian Defence Force helped out by dropping supplies and generators into the region by helicopter.

The Queensland government says emergency service personnel from other staff will begin to arrive in the next few days to assist with the recovery.

The disaster claimed a second life yesterday when an 82-year-old woman was found at a cane paddock on Fulton Drive in Bemerside, near Ingham.

She was last seen by a neighbour inside a two-storey house about 6pm on Monday.

The neighbour grew concerned when the woman was unable to be found inside the home today and found her body after the floodwaters had receded.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

The discovery of the 82-year-old’s death came two days after the death of a 63-year-old woman in Ingham.

She had been one of the residents on board a Queensland SES boat which struck a tree and flipped in floodwaters.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the worst of the deluge is over but thunderstorms are forecast for coming days.