It is a measure of this summer of disasters that Australia has run short of insurance assessors. Enter Team USA.

Suncorp Group subsidiary Vero has contracted six assessors from the US to help gauge the extent of the damage from Cyclone Yasi in north Queensland.

Another 10 US assessors are expected to join them next week.

Yesterday, Houston-based Larry Smith and Scott Hathaway from St Louis surveyed damaged properties in hard-hit Tully, at the epicentre of the destruction.

Having surveyed the impact of natural disasters worldwide, including Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, they yesterday acknowledged the category-5 system that slammed into the coast south of Cairns last Wednesday was "up there" internationally. Quote from article on theaustralian.com.au, read more