Statue of Liberty Replica Topples in Brazil Storm, No Injuries

A 24-meter-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty toppled over in the parking lot of a retail store in Guaíba, Brazil, on December 15, battered by strong winds from a severe storm sweeping through southern Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state. The incident, captured on video around 3 p.m., resulted in no injuries as nearby drivers and store employees quickly moved vehicles out of harm's way.

The statue, installed in 2020 outside a Havan megastore in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area, leaned dramatically for several seconds before crashing headfirst onto the pavement. Its 11-meter concrete base remained intact, but the fiberglass structure, weighing about 3.6 tons, sustained damage to its upper section. Footage showed trees and street signs swaying violently amid gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour, or roughly 56 miles per hour, which prompted Brazil's civil defense agency to issue a red-level alert earlier that day. Residents were urged to stay indoors and unplug electronics to avoid hazards from potential power surges.

Havan, a major Brazilian retail chain known for placing similar replicas at its stores nationwide, confirmed the statue had all required engineering...