A meteor streaks across the sky in central Russia causing loud explosions and injuring nearly a thousand people.
[video=youtube;74MFxrG2aSI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MFxrG2aSI[/video]
Fragments of at least one meteorite - the weight of a double-decker bus - were seen falling from the sky in the Chelyabinsk region at around 9am local time, around 1,500km east of Moscow.
A regional governor said 950 people have been injured. Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies said at least 82 children were hurt and 34 adults and 12 children were being treated in hospital. Two people are in intensive care.
Many were hurt by flying glass as windows were blown in. Witnesses described feeling a pressure wave and hearing explosions overhead as the object hurtled to earth.
The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000mph - 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet - and shattered up to 32 miles above ground.
Meteors typically cause sizeable sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere because they are travelling much faster than the speed of sound.
The defence ministry said it had identified a six metre crater near a lake in this region and has sent soldiers to the site of the impact.
The emergencies ministry said that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those needing help.
Resident Anna Pinkus told Sky News she saw a bright light outside her window and then heard three explosions.
"It was a very loud sound. After that our windows began to shatter and shiver so it was very terrifying. First we thought it was a plane crash."
Planetary scientist Professor Ian Crawford of Birbeck University said this was an unusual case as meteorite hits rarely cause any damage.
[video=youtube;74MFxrG2aSI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MFxrG2aSI[/video]
Fragments of at least one meteorite - the weight of a double-decker bus - were seen falling from the sky in the Chelyabinsk region at around 9am local time, around 1,500km east of Moscow.
A regional governor said 950 people have been injured. Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies said at least 82 children were hurt and 34 adults and 12 children were being treated in hospital. Two people are in intensive care.
Many were hurt by flying glass as windows were blown in. Witnesses described feeling a pressure wave and hearing explosions overhead as the object hurtled to earth.
The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000mph - 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet - and shattered up to 32 miles above ground.
Meteors typically cause sizeable sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere because they are travelling much faster than the speed of sound.
The defence ministry said it had identified a six metre crater near a lake in this region and has sent soldiers to the site of the impact.
The emergencies ministry said that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those needing help.
Resident Anna Pinkus told Sky News she saw a bright light outside her window and then heard three explosions.
"It was a very loud sound. After that our windows began to shatter and shiver so it was very terrifying. First we thought it was a plane crash."
Planetary scientist Professor Ian Crawford of Birbeck University said this was an unusual case as meteorite hits rarely cause any damage.
