More rain for flood-hit Australia

New thunderstorms brought more rain to a waterlogged community in Australia as the mayor of one city said it could take a year to fully recover from the worst flooding in decades.

The good news for nearly 200,000 flood victims is that the crisis finally appears to be easing.

Despite the fresh rains, an overflowing river in the inundated city of Rockhampton has begun to slowly recede. The swollen Fitzroy River has spilled though 3,000 properties across the city.

At least 4,000 people across Queensland have been evacuated from their homes since pounding rains that began just before Christmas left much of the region under a sea of water.

Rains across Queensland were frustrating clean up crews and residents eager to return home.

But Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter also said the current rain is not a major concern.

"It could cause local flooding for a short period of time if we had a significant quantity of rain. But the rain that we're expecting over the next couple of days is not likely to have any impact on the flood levels that we're seeing that are coming from the river system," Carter said.

Still, Carter warned residents of his city to stay away for at least two more weeks.