Post by : Rameen Ariff

In a startling incident in southern Brazil, a large replica of the Statue of Liberty collapsed due to strong winds on Monday, December 15. The 24-metre-tall structure, located in the car park of a Havan retail store in the city of Guaíba near Porto Alegre, toppled to the ground without causing any injuries.

Videos shared on social media show the statue swaying dangerously before finally falling while vehicles continued moving along the busy road nearby. The replica was installed close to a fast-food outlet, attracting the attention of locals and shoppers. Thankfully, the area was mostly empty at the time, preventing any harm to the public.

Local authorities had issued a red alert earlier in the day, warning residents about severe winds in the region. Civil defence officials advised people to stay indoors, secure doors and windows, and disconnect electrical appliances as a precaution. Despite the warnings, the powerful gusts were strong enough to bring down the iconic replica.

The Havan retail chain, which owns the statue, confirmed the collapse and stated that they will cooperate fully with officials to investigate the cause. Civil defence authorities said a technical assessment would be carried out to determine why the statue fell and to provide recommendations for preventing similar incidents in the future.

The collapse of the Statue of Liberty replica quickly became a trending topic online. In India, the term "statue of liberty fall down" topped Google Trends on Tuesday afternoon, with thousands searching for related terms like "Brazil statue of liberty", "statue of liberty collapse", and "statue of liberty replica Brazil".

Strong winds have previously caused damage across parts of southern Brazil, but the dramatic toppling of this large Statue of Liberty replica has captured attention worldwide. The incident highlights the importance of safety measures in areas prone to severe weather, particularly around large structures and public spaces.

#Global News