 While trekking slowly offshore the east coast of Queensland , the storm dropped very heavy rainfall , peaking at 1 @,@ 947 millimetres ( 76 @.@ 7 in ) at Mount Bellenden Ker , making it the wettest tropical cyclone on record in Australia . Severe flooding occurred , especially in the Cairns area . The most severe damage was dealt to sugar cane , which suffered 70 to 90 percent destruction . Some flights were canceled at the Cairns Airport due to standing water . Floodwaters forced at least 50 people to flee their homes in Cairns . A number of roads , including major highways , were flooded throughout coastal areas of Far North Queensland . Rainfall and winds also resulted in many power and telephone service outages through the region . There were two fatalities and damage reached approximately $ 10 million ( 1979 AUD ; $ 11 @.@ 4 million 1979 USD ) . 
