Storm damages Christ the Redeemer statue

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

Officials said the right thumb was chipped, apparently by a lightning strike on Thursday night. The middle finger of the right hand was chipped during a storm last month.

The 125ft Christ the Redeemer statue sits atop a steep mountain and is often hit by lightning.

The statue underwent a €2.9m renovation in 2010 to repair badly eroded parts of its face and hands.

The statue is managed by the archdiocese of Rio and Father Omar Raposo said repairs would soon be made.

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