Meteor shower hits Russia and Kazahstan, over 1000 people injured

Meteor shower hits Russia and Kazahstan, over 1000 people injured

 

By The Watchers | Adorraeli, Posted on February 15, 2013

A bright flash was seen in the Chelyabinsk, Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions, Russia’s Republic of Bashkiria and in northern Kazakhstan early morning local time on February 15, 2013. Officials mention meteor shower and say that it began after a large meteorite disintegrated above the Urals mountain range and partially burned up in the lower atmosphere – resulting in fragments falling earthwards throughout the Chelyabinsk region. Numerous YT videos show unusual trail accompanied by several loud booms. Many reports mention shattered windows. Lifenews tabloid said that at least one piece of the fallen object caused damage on the ground in Chelyabinsk, according to preliminary reports, it crashed into a wall near a zinc factory, disrupting the city’s Internet and mobile service.

During the morning Russian military discovered a 6-meter crater from Urals meteorite, normal background radiation was reported at the crater. Russian Academy of Science said the meteorite weighed 10 tons before it entered Earth’s atmosphere. Lifenews reported, quoting a source in Emergencies Ministry, that before falling to earth, the meteorite exploded nine times, starting at an altitude of 55 kilometers.

Meteorite fragments have damaged 2,962 buildings including 34 healthcare facilities, 11 social security institutions and 361 school and pre-school educational institutions.

The damage from the meteor shower is estimated at more than $13 million. Nature Magazine said that this fireball was the largest rock to strike the planet since 1908 (Tunguska). Russian space agency Roskosmos said: “According to preliminary estimates, this space object is of non-technogenic origin and qualifies as a meteorite. It was moving at a low trajectory with a speed of about 30 km/s.” Residents of the town of Emanzhilinsk, some 50 kilometers from Chelyabinsk, said they saw a flying object that suddenly burst into flames, broke apart and fell to earth, and that a black cloud had been seen hanging above the town. Witnesses in Chelyabinsk said the city’s air smells like gunpowder.

At 8:03 UTC RT reported there are up to 250 injured, 3 in critical condition. Some reports mention that up to 400 people asked medical attention. By 13:20 UTC the number of people injured in the meteorite blast has risen to 950, Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Mikhail Yurevitch said.