Lightning struck the tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp during a storm on Sunday night. As a result, the clock stopped and the bells no longer struck the hour. The city is assessing the damage and the necessary repairs on Monday morning.
The bolt of lightning struck the tower at around 1.00. “The clock is currently stopped,” says Liesbeth De Maeyer, spokesperson for the City of Antwerp. “The automatic bells are also connected to it, which normally chime on the half-hour and the hour. So they aren’t working at the moment either.”
Otherwise, the cathedral was undamaged. “We have carried out an inspection and no damage has been found,” said De Maeyer. The clock is being assessed and steps will be taken to get it working again.