Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro in Brazil has been struck by lightning. The statue's right hand was damaged in the electrical storm on Thursday night, according to officials from the Archdiocese of Rio, which manages the statue. The statue, which is visited by nearly two million people every year underwent a $4 million restoration - the National Institute for Space Research told O Globo that the statue is struck by lightning on average between three and five times a year.
The storm which blazed across Rio's sky had one of the highest number of lightning strikes recorded in Brazil since the country began monitoring storms in 1999. The Christ the Redeemer statue was inaugurated on 12 October 1931 on top of Rio's Mt Corcovado and is considered the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world - in 2007 it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The middle finger of the right hand was chipped during a storm last month.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is is 30 metres (98 ft) tall, excluding its 8 metres (26 ft) pedestal. The statue's arms stretch 28 metres (92 ft) wide. It weighs 635 tonnes and is located at the peak of the 700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. A symbol of Brazilian Christianity, the statue has become an icon for Rio de Janeiro and Brazil
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
