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Baptist rescue team offers assistance after Hungarian ice storm

BWAid/HBAid Rescue24, the rescue and recovery arm of Baptist World Aid, participated in a rescue effort following a severe ice storm that affected eastern Hungary on Sunday, June 7, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

According to a Baptist World Alliance (BWA) news report, Rescue24, consisting of a team of staff and volunteers from Hungarian Baptist Aid, sent 24 persons with five vehicles to Nyirbogdany, a village in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary, one of the areas worst affected by the weather conditions.

More than 1,000 houses in Nyirbogdany were damaged by falling ice 'as big as tennis balls,' reported Laszlo Pavelcze, commander of the Rescue24 team. Roofs and windows of houses were badly damaged, as well as motor vehicles.

"We helped to put up plastic sheeting on the roofs and we also had to demolish a house which was in life threatening condition," he said.

The BWA news report says the ice storm damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 houses and more than 60 churches, schools, hospitals and clinics in 26 towns and villages within four hours.

BWAid Rescue24 relief efforts were in response to requests from local authorities and the national fire service to offer assistance.

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TAGS: Hungary Baptist rescue team assistance ice storm Hungarian Baptist Aid BWAid Rescue24

[07/02/2009]

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