While Mackay Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDC) CEO Narelle Pearse said it was too early to ascertain damages, the main hold-up for mines in Queensland's northern Bowen Basin has been with civil earthworks because of the wet ground.

She said ports almost certainly would be affected if coal could not be railed in time, and already there has been an increase in the number of ship waiting off ports.

"There is certainly a cost to our region of the heavy rain. However, the mining companies in the Bowen Basin are well structured and planned organisations, and we are confident that the industry will respond to the current conditions and plan production through a process of rigorous risk assessment and risk management.

"The mining companies plan for this type of event and emergency processes will be operating," she said.

The Mackay Whitsunday Region accounts for about half the Queensland's total coal production and three quarters of its total value.

Mining contributed $A8.1 billion to the Mackay Whitsunday Region, with 8503 people employed in the sector.