Australian troops deployed to help prepare for Tropical Cyclone Alfred were involved in a road accident 220km from Brisbane, injuring 36 people, New South Wales Police said.
„Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel were injured in a collision between two army trucks 9km southwest of Lismore (located 220km south of Brisbane). “Medical teams and emergency services, as well as specialist rescue teams, are working at the scene“, police said, noting that the incident occurred after 5pm local time.
At least 36 service personnel were injured in the crash, eight of whom were taken to hospital in a serious condition, while two others remain trapped in their vehicles, according to the NSW Ambulance Service.
On 5 March, Australian authorities ordered residents of a number of cities on the east coast to prepare for the approaching Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which forecasters said was expected to bring gusty winds with gusts of up to 43 m/s, rain of up to 800 mm and strong storm surge. It was also expected that more than 55,000 homes would be in the flood zone due to the flooding.
As part of the disaster preparedness, the Australian federal government deployed 120 military personnel to assist the New South Wales state government and support the work of emergency and rescue services.