79-Foot Statue of Liberty at Havan Megastore Crashes in Brazil Storm

A massive storm hit southern Brazil on Monday, December 15, and left a Havan megastore in Guaiba, Rio Grande do Sul, devastated. A 24-meter (79-foot) reproduction of the Statue of Liberty fell over in an empty parking lot, and viral videos showed the statue slowly going down the road when one of them got the slowest shot of the entire process.

Wind Speeds Soar Over 90 km/h

The storm was quite destructive and according to Brazil’s civil defence agency, Defesa Civil, gusty winds were over 90 km/h in Guaiba making it one of the strongest storms in history. The mayor, Marcelo Maranata, confirmed this by saying there were indeed strong winds, and he highlighted the quick safety measures taken as a key factor in preventing injuries.

Quick Action Prevents Casualties

Fortunately, the first aid of passersby and Havan’s employees was very effective: moving the nearby cars saved about no injury and no property damage. The statue was a 2020 installation and designed for safety escaped the incident up to the concrete base, that was 11 meters deep and remained the same, even after the collapse.

Havan Launches Investigation

Havan’s announcement to the public stated that all of their statues of liberty replicas are made and certified based on strict engineering standards. The inquiry being conducted has the goal of finding out the reason why this specific statue could not resist the extreme weather conditions.

Statewide Storm Impacts

The storm was formed because of the meeting of very hot air and a cold front that was spreading. The Defesa Civil announced through cell broadcasting to the residents about the bad weather with strong winds and telling them to stay away from the open. The other parts of the state of Rio Grande do Sul were also affected in the following ways:

• Tio Hugo: Hail reported.
• Passo Fundo, Santa Cruz do Sul, Vera Cruz: Roof damage.
• Lajeado: Local flooding, debris cleared quickly.

However, authorities reported no city-wide power outages or service disruptions in the metropolitan area.

A History of Storm Damage to Havan Statues

Havan's famous statuettes have already had their share of storms. A similar statue in Capao da Canoa got blown over during a cyclone with winds up to 80 km/h in 2021, which was still just a case of property damage. Officials keep insisting that the public should be alerted early and that response times should be rapid to protect them when tall structures are hit with severe storms.

The dramatic collapse notwithstanding, the incident serves as a testament to the efficacy of emergency protocols and the effect of prompt action during natural calamities.