Liputan6.com, Jakarta - A magnificent replica of the iconic Statue of Liberty in front of the Havan retail store in Guaíba, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, reportedly collapsed on Monday afternoon, December 15, 2025.
This dramatic incident happened due to strong winds accompanying a severe storm that hit the region.
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Fortunately, no casualties or significant property damage were reported.
The 35-meter-tall statue, which had been standing since 2020, collapsed after its 24-meter-tall upper structure could not withstand the force of the winds.
The collapse of the Statue of Liberty replica was captured in a video circulating on social media, showing the moment the statue began to lean before finally crashing to the ground.
Incident Details and Dimensions of the Statue of Liberty in Guaíba
The collapsed replica of the Statue of Liberty stood 35 meters tall, making it a prominent landmark in front of the Havan megastore.
The collapsed top of the statue was 24 meters tall, while the 11-meter-high concrete base remained standing.
This iconic statue was installed in 2020 and has become a major attraction for store visitors and the surrounding community.
The collapse Happened in the parking lot of the Havan store in the city of Guaíba, located near Porto Alegre.
Fortunately, the parking lot was largely empty at the time, so there were no reports of injuries or significant damage to vehicles.
Some drivers even managed to move their vehicles when the statue began to show signs of tilting.
Guaíba Mayor Marcelo Maranata immediately confirmed the incident on social media.
"Since the first moment, we've been on the streets following the situation closely," Mayor Maranata wrote in a post on Facebook, which has been translated.
"The Civil Defense and the Secretary of Infrastructure are fully mobilized, attending to events and ensuring the safety of the population."
Strong Winds Trigger The Collapse
The collapse of the Statue of Liberty replica in Guaíba was caused by strong winds reaching speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour, as reported by CGTN.
These powerful winds were part of a severe storm that struck the Rio Grande do Sul region on the day of the incident.
The storm was a manifestation of an extreme weather system moving across southern Brazil, including an extratropical cyclone that also caused damage in several other areas, such as São Paulo.
The local civil defense authority, Defesa Civil Rio Grande do Sul, had previously issued a red alert.
Despite the warning, the storm's strength exceeded expectations, causing the statue's structure to fail.
Post-Incident Investigation
Following the collapse of the Statue of Liberty replica, Havan acted swiftly to isolate the area in accordance with safety protocols.
Emergency response teams and store staff immediately worked to clear debris and ensure there were no further hazards in the surrounding area.
Havan, along with local authorities, plans to conduct a thorough technical assessment of the statue's structure.
This is not the first time Havan has experienced a similar incident; another statue replica in Capão da Canoa also collapsed in 2021 due to a cyclone.
In addition to the Statue of Liberty replica falling, state authorities said other weather-related incidents have caused injuries and property damage across the region, Newsweek reports.
A heavy rain warning remains in effect through Wednesday, December 17, with risks of power outages, falling tree limbs, flooding, and lightning strikes, according to Brazil's national weather service, INMET.
Defesa Civil also urged residents to be careful and reduce speed while driving and avoid flooded areas, as "the force of the water can sweep away people and vehicles," it wrote in a Facebook post on December 15, according to Newsweek.