A powerful storm system lashed southern Brazil on Monday, December 15, destroying the 24-meter-long (79-foot) replica of the Statue of Liberty outside a Havan megastore in Guaiba, Rio Grande do Sul state. On-the-scene footage shows the dramatic fall of the huge structure into an empty parking area.
Brazil’s civil defence agency, Defesa Civil, estimated that gusts of wind surpassed 90 km/h in the area. Several videos of it immediately went viral on all social media platforms, showing the slow tilt and fall of the statue.
Immediate Action Prevents Casualties
The collapsed structure, installed in 2020 and certified by engineers, was fastened to an 11-meter concrete base that did not break when it fell.
Guaiba Mayor Marcelo Maranata confirmed, in an online statement, the incident and the strong wind speeds that blew between 80 and 90 km/h. Crucially, fast-acting passersby and store employees moving nearby cars at just the right moment before the structure let loose meant no injuries or property damage occurred.
Havan, the retailer, issued a statement confirming that the area was immediately isolated by its staff in accordance with safety protocols, and removal of debris began within hours. The store’s normal operations were not disrupted.
Internal Investigation Launched Despite Certification
Havan emphasized that all its many replicas of the Statue of Liberty, built all over Brazil, were constructed and certified according to stringent technical and engineering parameters. The company does, however, announce the start of an internal investigation to establish which factors contributed to the failure of this structure to resist these particular extreme weather conditions.
Alerts Sent As Storm Hit
The powerful storm was powered by a collision of intense heat with an advancing cold front. Defesa Civil issued urgent emergency alerts via cell broadcast, the system that pushes critical messages directly to mobile phones, to warn residents of Rio Grande do Sul against strong winds, risking structures to fall and avoiding open areas.
The rest of the state experienced severe weather, too:
- Hail was reported in Tio Hugo.
- Damage to roofs occurred in Passo Fundo, Santa Cruz do Sul, and Vera Cruz.
Heavy rain caused localised flooding in Lajeado. Municipal crews went out and cleared debris, and authorities reported no widespread power or service outages in the metropolitan area.
Past Incident Recalled
Large replicas of the Statue of Liberty are one of the recognisable features of Havan stores. This is not the first time that a replica in one of these structures has been affected by an extreme weather event.
In 2021, one such replica collapsed in Capao da Canoa during a cyclone with winds between 70 and 80 km/h, which only caused material damage.
Following the Guaiba collapse, the officials again repeated the thoughts that the public, when it came to structures of great height in severe storms, urged early warnings and rapid responses to safety as prime factors in preventing a tragic outcome in this latest incident.
