Severe Weather Alert: Brace Yourself for the Approaching Tempest - A suspected tornado covers the church roof with strong winds.
In the afternoon, a powerful gust of wind battered parts of South Westphalia, ripping off the roof of a church tower in Hagen and uprooting trees. The wind blew through the region for approximately ten minutes, severely damaging several roofs and numerous vehicles. The fire department reported that they were called to 40 incidents, where they deployed a total of 120 personnel to deal with the most severe cases. Many streets were covered with roof tiles and fallen branches.
Pastor Dieter Aufenanger describes the damage to St. Elisabeth Church in shock: "The spire of the church's tower detached from its anchoring and was blown onto the street. It's unbelievable." Now, the church's congregation must find a way to clean up the debris.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, according to the fire department. The spokesperson remarked, "We had a hell of a time." The German Weather Service (DWD) is now investigating if this incident was caused by a tornado. "We're checking the data," said the DWD.
St. Elisabeth Church, constructed in the neo-Baroque style between 1924 and 1927, was rebuilt post-World War II. The pastor added that the roof structure has now been completely destroyed, with roof tiles and beams landing on a parked car.
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