Sydney hailstorms: the health role in the recovery process.

We highlight the involvement of community health, public health and mental health staff in the recovery period after a natural disaster (hailstorm and ensuing wind and rain over three weeks) which, despite causing relatively few deaths or severe injuries, affected 20,000 families and caused damage estimated at $1.5 billion. Many families were given information and advice, and 383 individuals were referred for health assessment and management by doctors and other healthcare workers over an eight-month recovery period.