The 1999 Sydney hailstorm : the work of the Southern Sydney Recovery Task Force.

On the evening of 14 April 1999, a hailstorm severely damaged residential and commercial properties, public buildings, motor vehicles and aircraft in Southern Sydney. Seven local government areas were affected - Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, Botany, South Sydney, Marrickville and Sutherland. Figures show the distribution of damage to residential properties and the areas of greatest intensity as the storm followed a path moving from south to north. The areas affected are among the highest residential densities in inner urban Sydney. The fact that many of the properties were over 50 years old increased the impact of the damage and necessitated major electrical rewiring in many instances. As at the date of this report, the total insured property loss (including motor vehicles, commercial and aviation claims) was estimated most recently at around $1.6 billion and is Australia's most expensive natural disaster