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Storm winds knock over Statue of Liberty replica outside Brazilian megastore (Video)

A towering replica of the Statue of Liberty was blown over by strong winds in southern Brazil, with authorities confirming no one was injured.

The incident happened on Monday in the city of Guaíba, near Porto Alegre, as severe weather swept across Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil’s civil defence agency said wind gusts in the area exceeded 90km/h and issued emergency warnings urging residents to stay indoors.

The 24-metre-tall statue stood outside a Havan retail megastore and was mounted on an 11-metre base. Havan said the structure was knocked from its foundation during the storm. The company added that the installation met technical requirements and had been in place since the store opened in 2020.

Footage shared online shows the statue slowly leaning before crashing to the ground as motorists nearby hurried to move their vehicles.



Guaíba Mayor Marcelo Maranata praised the swift actions of store staff and emergency services, who quickly secured the site. Havan has ordered a technical inspection to determine the cause.

A similar statue at another Havan store was toppled by strong winds in 2021.

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