Having lived through a devastating earthquake as well as the affects of a Volcano and even a small Flood I feel like I at least have an emotional handle on the issues that arise after a natural disaster. And, can you believe I now live in Tornado Alley and have never actually seen a tornado?

1. Realize they aren't thinking very rationally. They can hyper-focus on what may seem silly (a Christmas décor, a childhood doll etc).

You'll need to very gently help them think of the bigger picture and the immediate, ex: furniture removal, restoration services can pack up and restore damaged items and provide a list for insurance, itemizing (if possible) the missing/damaged beyond repair items.