Rio's iconic Christ statue damaged in storm, left hand apparently hit by lightning

Lightning bolts strike through the sky near Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, late Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. A violent lightning and rain storm swept across Rio de Janeiro, flooding streets and knocking out power in some neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Renata Brito) (The Associated Press)

Lightning lights up the the sky over Sugar Loaf mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Jan.16, 2014. An alert was called by Rio authorities due to heavy rains and the possibilty of floods in the city. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (The Associated Press)

The iconic statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro has been damaged during a storm.

Officials said Friday that the right thumb was chipped, apparently by a lightning strike Thursday night.

The middle finger of the right hand had been chipped during a storm last month.

The 125-foot (38 meter) Christ the Redeemer statue sits atop a steep mountain and is often hit by strikes.

The statue underwent a $4 million renovation in 2010 to repair badly eroded parts of its face and hands.

The Archdiocese of Rio manages the statue. Father Omar Raposo tells Globo Radio that repairs will soon be made.

He says the church has a stock of the same stone originally used to build the statue, which was erected in 1931.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/rios-iconic-christ-statue-damaged-in-storm-left-hand-apparently-hit-by-lightning