Regional Queensland communities ravaged by floods in 2019 will receive an additional $12 million for infrastructure projects to better prepare them for natural disasters.

The funding is part of the Commonwealth and Queensland governments’ $134.5 million infrastructure package with the latest injection of $12 million allocated to 26 ‘resilience’ projects.

It comes after Townsville was drenched with 1400mm of rain across 12 days in January and February last year.

It resulted in widespread floods across North Queensland and caused an estimated $1 billion in damages.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and federal Minister for Natural Disasters David Littleproud on Friday announced the increased funding and its benefits.

“This investment … boosts employment in our regional and remote areas, and it strengthens the resilience of our communities,” Ms Palaszczuk said in a statement.

Projects in the Townsville council area alone will receive almost $2 million in funding while $1.2 million has been promised to flood-proof Aurukun Access Road.

Almost half of the funding will be spent in the Douglas shire area, with $5.2 million going towards upgrades to Cape Tribulation-Bloomfield Road and Zig Zag Road.

The projects are due to be completed by June 2021.