Lightning strike silences Maria Alm church bells

A lightning strike has silenced the church bells in Maria Alm in Salzburg’s Pinzgau region for a week, ORF reports. The strike damaged the electronics in the church tower during a severe thunderstorm last weekend.

All five circuit boards that control the bells are damaged, sacristan Manfred Brüggl said. A technician has already inspected the system and is due to replace the boards next week.

The parish expects the bells to be working again by the next Sunday service. The damage is estimated at 22,000 euros, and the parish hopes insurance will cover most of the cost.

It is unclear why the lightning conductor did not prevent the damage. Parish priest Franz Auer said the bells had been particularly missed at the Bauernherbst opening event on Saturday.