If the battered residents of north Queensland around Innisfail are not suffering enough in the wake of cyclone Larry - there is another fear - Mesothelioma, a type of cancer of the lungs that is caused by asbestos dust.

The area is historic - many of the old places are now destroyed but it was know that many homes and other buildings were built in the 1950's using asbestos sheeting. Such sheeting is deemed not to be a risk, if it remains undamaged, but of course with the cyclone smashing all the buildings there were many broken asbestos sheets in the piles of rubble around the town.

Precautions are now being taken, but unitially it was of little concern, as volunteers worked frantically to clean up the rubble and open roads and clear pathways for volunteers.

I guess it is hoped that with the constant rain over the period, that there would be less risk of the asbestos dust flowing freely in the atmosphere, but it is a real risk, non the less.

This insidious lung disease usuually appears many years after exposure to asbestos dust, and it is hoped that in years to come, none of the brave and generous volunteers will be stricken with this disease.