Meteor explodes over central Russia; injuries may reach 1,000

The blast damaged buildings and caused hundreds of injuries.

By Sarah Scoles — Published: February 15, 2013

A meteor trail streaks over eastern Russia on February 15, 2013, in this image released by the Russian Emergency Ministry.

For most recent information on what caused this event and those affected, see "'Tiny' asteroid causes significant damage in Russia."

A meteor punched through Earth's atmosphere around 9:20 a.m. local time (12:20 a.m. EST) and then exploded over central Russia some 950 miles (1,500 kilometers) east of Moscow. As of noon local time, as many as 1,000 people had reported injuries from the blast, and an official from the National Center for Emergency Situations at the Russian Interior Ministry says 3,000 buildings have sustained damage.

Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, estimates the bolide, a brilliant fireball that explodes midair, was traveling some 67,000 mph (108,000 km/h) and weighed about 11 tons. Its explosion, which released several kilotons of energy, created a shock wave that broke windows and injured citizens. [Editor's note: later updated to 40,265mph, 7,000 metric tons, and 300 to 500 kilotons of energy] The debris from the breakup left at least three impact sites. Some 20,000 emergency workers will assist with the response efforts, RIA Novosti, a state-run news agency, reports.

Although this astronomical event occurred on the same day that asteroid 2012 DA₁₄ is to make a close pass by Earth, the two rocky bodies are not related.

For up-to-the-minute reports from Russia and photos of the impact site, visit the country's first English-language news channel, RT.com.

The first video below is a compilation of eyewitness videos gathered by RT.com. The second is a local's video that includes the sonic boom that accompanied the explosion. (WARNING: You might want to turn down the sound on your computer.)

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MR JOHN CLEMENTS from UTAH said:

Cool magazine!!

Submitted: 3/8/2013 11:25:32 AM (CST)

RICHARD NEUOK from FLORIDA said:

We think we are strong and so knowledgeable, do you think, maybe the Lord is trying to wake us up?

Submitted: 2/22/2013 5:28:23 PM (CST)

NICK DREMUCK II from NEW YORK said:

A MINOR MODERN TANGUSKA. I WISH ALL THE INJURED WELL.

Submitted: 2/19/2013 11:55:34 AM (CST)

BILL SIMPSON from LOUISIANA said:

About a week before this happened, people in Cuba saw and heard one explode near them. Cuba is a big island, so I'm not sure where the witnesses were located, or which way it was going.
A big one blew up over Brazil a while back too.
I saw a small one burn up over the marshes in the eastern side of New Orleans about 40 years ago. It was moving from south to north. No noise ever reached the ground. I could see pieces breaking off the main body but it was going too fast to be a missile or satellite reentering. My father saw one land in a marsh when he was a kid. People were outside much more before TV and air conditioning in Louisiana.

Submitted: 2/17/2013 5:02:05 AM (CST)

JEFF MARCHIONE from MICHIGAN said:

I hope The people of Russia can find many pieces of this meteorite. Thinking of everyone there here in Michigan

Submitted: 2/16/2013 9:02:58 PM (CST)

SERGEY NEOFITNYY from UKRAINE said:

By the way! Some Russian politicians said that the machinations of America and its space weapons.

Submitted: 2/15/2013 6:26:27 PM (CST)

FRANCIS MONDANA from CALIFORNIA said:

JP, your comment is about as informative as saying The water is wet.
Everything zooming around the solar system is left over from the birth of the system.

There are some very tiny things such as photons, atoms, and other "cosmic rays" from elsewhere.

Submitted: 2/15/2013 2:56:47 PM (CST)

JAMES MARSH from MICHIGAN said:

I THOUGHT THEY COULD NOT GET THAT CLOSE
DID THEY KNOW THIS WAS COMING?
DID ANYONE GET KILLED?

Submitted: 2/15/2013 12:39:29 PM (CST)

SUELI IRWIN from BRAZIL said:

HO MY GOD I DID NOT KNOW, I GONNA BE HERE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS AMAZING AND SCARE, HERE IN QUATRO BARRAS BRAZIL,SOMETIMES THE TREES SHEIK IN CIRCULLO LIKE I NEVER SEE.

Submitted: 2/15/2013 11:35:26 AM (CST)

JP DESCHAMPS said:

This ''Russian''meteorite is probably a remnant of extraordinary showers of meteors that surrounded the viscinity of our planet 'Earth' at a very early age of it's formation some 4 billions yeras ago.

Submitted: 2/15/2013 11:03:17 AM (CST)

	Sun	Sun	Moon
RISE	—		—	PHASE	—
SET	—		—	DISK	—