Figures provided to Fairfax Media show only $2.8 million has been donated to charity since the appeal was promoted two weeks ago, starting with a $1 million donation from the Queensland government.

GIVIT has provided 20,093 items to impacted communities and 28,931 items were available to be matched with needy people.

But in 2011, more than $100 million was raised for the Premier's disaster relief appeal within six days of the Brisbane River peaking on January 13 - including $31 million from everyday Australians. It launched in December 2010.

The appeal, under premier Anna Bligh, wrapped up in September 2011 and paid $281 million to more than 42,000 victims, transferring the remainder to St Vincent de Paul to distribute.

But the 2011 appeal was also heavily criticised for how slowly it handed out donations.

A Queensland government spokesman said it was hard to compare natural disasters and the appeal in 2011 was very problematic.

The 2011 appeal had about 100 people working to process applications for payments, with Ms Bligh apologising for unacceptable delays to Queensland who were waiting for funds.

In 2013, then-premier Campbell Newman blamed "donor fatigue" and "tough times" for a sluggish response to the state's flood relief appeal at the time after $6 million in mostly corporate donations was raised in its first week.

This time around, people have been asked to donate to four charities - the Australian Red Cross Society, Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul Society of Queensland and UnitingCare Community - instead of a central disaster fund.

It comes as the damage bill for the natural disaster expected to run into the "billions" and a stoush between the Queensland and federal governments over disaster relief funding.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk rejected suggestions a Premier's Appeal should be launched this time around.

"Rather than establish a separate fund, our experience from TC Marcia [in 2015] was that the quickest way to get funding to the people hit hardest and in the greatest need was to encourage donations directly to the charities," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Following Cyclone Marcia, the government committed $1 million to be shared by four charities - Red Cross, The Salvos, St Vincent de Paul and UnitingCare.

"This worked well. The assistance got into those communities quicker than running a separate appeal and avoids delays in getting that money to the people who need it."

Ms Palaszczuk encouraged Australians, particularly companies, to donate to the four charities helping people recover from Cyclone Debbie and the flooding that followed.

In terms of this year's natural disaster, almost 41,000 grants have been paid out to Queenslanders in need, totalling more than $18.4 million.

The Community Recovery Hotline has received more than 46,000 calls.

Immediate hardship payments of $180 per person or up to $900 for a family of five or more are available to pay for food, clothing, medicine and accommodation.