Statue of Christ in Brazil being repaired after being hit by lightening

The iconic statue of Christ over looking Rio de Janeiro was struck last week by lightening during a violent storm and damaged the 125 ft (38 metre) statue’s head, right finger and

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Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue is now being repaired.  The middle finger of the right hand and a spot on its head had also been chipped during a storm last month. The statue is often hit by lightning because of its position atop a steep mountain.

The repairs will take about four months to complete. Meanwhile the statue is open to public view and the authorities will place more lightning rods on the statue to prevent lightening from hitting the giant structure.

The monument was built between 1922 and 1931 atop the Corcovado Mountain and is considered to be the largest Art Deco style statue in the world. It underwent a $4 million (£243, 600) renovation in 2010 to repair badly eroded parts of its face and hands.

The statue was damaged in April 2010 when the arms head and chest were covered in spray painted graffiti. The perpetrators used the scaffolding erected during the renovation to scale the statue and vandalise it. Rio’s mayor described this act to be a “crime against the nation.”