Storm Destroys Church Roof in Brzesko, 500 Evacuated

The news in Polish

1. spowodować
   być przyczyną czegoś, sprowokować, wywołać jakieś skutki. ↩︎
2. poważny
   znaczący, duży lub o wielkiej wadze. ↩︎
3. zniszczenie  (n.)
   uszkodzenie lub zburzenie w dużym stopniu. ↩︎
4. wichura  (f.)
   silny wiatr wiejący z dużą prędkością. ↩︎
5. ewakuować
   przenieść ludzi lub zwierzęta z miejsca zagrożenia do bezpiecznego. ↩︎
6. podtopienie  (n.)
   częściowe zalanie terenu wodą, przeważnie z powodu opadów. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What caused damage in Brzesko on Sunday?

Question 2: What happened to the church roof during the storm?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
spowodować	cause
poważny	serious
zniszczenie  (n.)	destruction
wichura  (f.)	gale
ewakuować	evacuate
podtopienie  (n.)	flooding

Read the full story

A powerful storm swept through the Lesser Poland Voivodeship on Sunday, causing significant damage in the town of Brzesko. The most notable incident occurred at the Church of St. James the Apostle, where strong winds tore off a portion of the roof during a service, prompting the evacuation of approximately 500 worshippers.

The local fire brigade was promptly on the scene, ensuring everyone was evacuated safely from the premises. Captain Dominik Machał from the Brzesko County Fire Brigade confirmed that no injuries were reported. The falling debris included metal sheeting, which landed on adjacent pathways and streets near the Fryderyk Chopin Street, posing additional hazards to the surrounding area.

The damage to the church is not isolated, having been previously affected by unfavorable weather conditions earlier in July. Approximately 60 square meters of the roof’s copper covering had been previously damaged, which was temporarily patched with tarpaulins.

In response to the latest incident, firefighters focused on securing the remaining parts of the church’s roof to prevent further damage. The affected area was cordoned off, and the emergency response involved multiple units from the Professional Fire Service and Volunteer Fire Service across the Brzesko region.

The storm’s impact was not limited to the church. Across Brzesko and the broader Tarnów region, strong winds uprooted trees, blocked roads, and damaged power lines. In some cases, intense rainfall led to minor flooding in local streets, as seen on shared images and reports on social media.

The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management had issued weather warnings for the whole country, including first and second-degree alerts, emphasising the storm’s potential severity. Authorities across the region advised residents to exercise caution and report hazards promptly, as emergency services managed around 70 related incidents in the area.

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