Satellite Sees Meteor Exploding Like 30 Atom Bombs, Videos 1200 Injured, Largest Meteor In 100 Years, Billions Of Rubles In Damages



NASA initially estimated the Chelyabinsk meteor was about the size of a bus, weighed  7,000 tons, was the largest to hit Earth in 100 years and detonated with the power of 30 atomic bombs. NASA scientists revised notion is that the meteor was  50 feet (15 meters) and yielded a blast equivalent of 470 kilotons, up from its initial opinion of a 300 kiloton explosion.

The nuclear blast at Hiroshima was approximately 16 kilotons.   The Chelyabinsk meteor hit the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000 km per hour.

Around 1200 people have sought medical attention in Chelyabinsk alone because of the disaster, the region's governor Mikhail Yurevich told RIA Novosti.

Over 110 of them have been hospitalized and two of them are in critical condition. Among the injured there are 159 children, the Russian Emergency ministry reported. A 52-year-old woman who suffered spinal fracture will be transported to Moscow for treatment, according to RussiaToday.

The meteor that exploded over the Urals of central Russia was seen by Eumetsat's Meteosat-9, at the edge of the satellite view. Hundreds of people were reportedly injured as the meteor's massive sonic boom caused widespread damage.
 
 

 
 The blast is thought to have occurred at an altitude of 50 kilometers, according to a Russian astrophysicist.  According toValery Shuvalov of  the Institute of Geosphere Dynamics RAS, the meteorite most likely was a type of iron-nickel meteorite, as only those objects are strong enough to reach the lower layers of the atmosphere. 

According to him, "This body is probably the size of the order of meters and a mass of several tons."  The blast has been described as having the power of a small nuclear device. 

A screen shot of the meteor explosion.



Injuries total near 1000

As reports come in the number of injuries is increasing from the Russian meteor shower, the old total was around 550. As of 14:30 Moscow time, 514 people had sought medical attention in the disaster area, 112 of whom were hospitalized .Among the injured there are 84 children, according to the Russian Emergency ministry.

The number soon grew to more than 700.   The injury toll has since climbed to about 900 people according to new reports from RussiaToday.

Among the injured there are 159 children, Emergency ministry reported.  Now reports have grown to 1000 injured, the blast  broke more than 100 thousand square meters of windows.

NASA Says Meteor Unrealted to Asteroid 2012 DA14

 
A meteor seen flying over Russia on Feb. 15 at 3:20: 26 UTC impacted Chelyabinsk. Preliminary information is that this object was unrelated to asteroid 2012 DA14, which made a safe pass by Earth on January 15.  
 
According to NASA scientists, the trajectory of the Russia meteor was significantly different than the trajectory of the asteroid 2012 DA14, making it a completely unrelated object. Information is still being collected about the Russia meteor and analysis is preliminary at this point. 

In videos of the meteor, it is seen to pass from left to right in front of the rising sun, which means it was traveling from north to south. Asteroid DA14's trajectory is in the opposite direction, from south to north."

Map showing the meteorite impact area
 Image credit: Google Earth, NASA/JPL-Caltech
 
Preliminary information indicates that a meteor in Chelyabinsk, Russia, is not related to asteroid 2012 DA14, which is flying by Earth safely today.

Based on the duration of the event, it was a very shallow entry. It was larger than the meteor over Indonesia on Oct. 8, 2009. Measurements are still coming in, and a more precise measure of the energy may be available later.

The size of the object before hitting the atmosphere was about 49 feet (15 meters) and had a mass of about 7,000 tons.

The meteor, which was about one-third the diameter of asteroid 2012 DA14, was brighter than the sun. Its trail was visible for about 30 seconds, so it was a grazing impact through the atmosphere.

It is important to note that this estimate is preliminary, and may be revised as more data is obtained. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/asteroidflyby.html
Russian President Vladimir Putin sends emergency experts to measure meteorite damage
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent emergency agency’s officials to guage the damage to energy facilities caused by the meteor shower Russia’s Urals region. The head of state said local authorities were in control of the situation, but stressed they could do with extra help. Emergency experts will gauge the damage done to the region's communication network and energy facilities.


 
Russian meteorite weighed 10 tons
The meteorite that struck the Russian region of Chelyabinsk was several meters in diameter, weighed around a dozen tons and had the energy of several kilotons, experts from the Russian Academy of Science say.

According to their estimates, the space object entered the atmosphere at a speed of 15-20 kilometers per second and burst into flames some 30-50 kilometers off the ground reports the Voice Of russia


The fragments of the asteroid left a blazing trail in the sky and caused a strong hit wave. Most of the debris evaporated, while the remaining fragments froze over and could have come down as meteorites, scientists explained.



Characteristic Of meteor
Russian scientists have speculated about the origin of the meteorite exploded in the early morning of the Chelyabinsk region. There is a theory that it could be one of the fragments of asteroid 2012 DA14, which is approaching near the Earth.

 According to NASA, its diameter greater than a football field. It is expected that the asteroid will approach the minimum distance from the earth - from 15-20 thousand kilometers (an area of the satellite communications) at 23.25  Moscow time. NASA plans to conduct a live video streaming live on the internet.

According to preliminary assessments carried out at the request of the Department of Science Russian astronomers the  culprit  responsible for "meteor shower" could have been a celestial body with a diameter of 10 meters.   The power of the explosion can be estimated in the tens or even hundreds of kilotons of TNT equivalent, that is, it looks like a small atomic bomb blast, said respondents.

Videos, which were recorded and the flash and the sound , allow to estimate the height of the explosion - it is 43-47 km. The body, which caused an explosion, may be a stony meteorite or even a mini-comet.

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Theoretical Physics, CSU Alexander Dudorov said It was” a piece of the cosmic body, which invaded the Earth's atmosphere, but it burned down before reaching the surface - said Dudorov.

- A large outbreak that occurred - it is just the end of the life of the car.

And that thin, that flew further, a meteorite - the cosmic body is not more than a meter, weighing several kilograms. "

The powerful glow,  Dudorov explained, was due to the fact that the subject is highly warmed up in the atmosphere.

 "A solid becomes a gas, expanding, was a very powerful light. But inside it could have been a metal body, which flew on, "-said Dudorov. He did not rule out that this meteorite was flying along with the asteroid 2012 DA14.

Chelyabinsk astrophysicist, PhD, Associate Professor of Theoretical Physics, Chelyabinsk State University Sergei Zamozdra claims that the city now formed the ozone hole.



"When an object enters the atmosphere and explodes, it first destroys the ozone layer. And, of course, be upon us now is a small ozone hole, and we get a small amount more ultraviolet radiation, "- said Zamozdra to " Gazeta.ru ".

The Astrophysicist explained that the object was flying from space at a speed of about 10 kilometers per second. "It blew up at altitude, in my estimation, 50 kilometers, because the shock waves arrived about two minutes after the explosion. And the sound is three seconds to overcome one kilometer - says Zamozdra.

 - Next to the fragment, probably went in the direction of Miass, somewhere in that area may lie a real meteorite or crater. " He added that he is not afraid of radioactive contamination. "Most meteorites are not radioactive. The most powerful is the effect - a flash of light and a shock wave, "- says Zamozdra.

Talking about whether it was possible to predict the location of a meteorite, an astrophysicist explained that in reality it is a difficult task. "It's hard to predict that the meteorite fall is near Chelyabinsk.

The error in this calculation is up to 500 miles - said Zamozdra. - At the Earth each year fall so much aerolites, but judging by the flash, it was very heavy. This event takes place on Earth every 20-30 years. "

Damages Reach 1-Billilon Rubles
The damage caused by a meteorite impact was a billion rubles, according to the "Interfax" . "Over one billion will be caused. Only on the Ice Palace "Ural Lightning" - 200 million rubles, "- said the governor of Chelyabinsk region Mikhail Yurevich.

According to him, an ice palace "Ural Lightning" suffered the most. Supporting structures are damaged, damaged three transverse beams.

As explained Minister of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Chelyabinsk region Yuri Serebryannikov, because of damage to the palace will be closed for a month and a half. "Things have to go. Competitions are also canceled, "- said Serebryannikov. 

Three meteorite crash sites found in Chelyabinsk

Three craters have been discovered in the Russian Chelyabinsk region following the crash of three meteorite fragments earlier on Friday, a source with local police has said according to reporting by the Voice of Russia. As of now, the situation room has received reports saying that three meteorite impact points have been found,” a press office member said.

Two fragments were allegedly discovered in the Chebarkul district, while another one came down near Zlatoustye.

The Chelyabinsk meteorite fell into the lake near the town of Chebarkul. This was reported on the website of Chelyabinsk Region Governor.
 
Army units found three meteorite debris impact sites, two of which are in an area near Chebarkul Lake, west of Chelyabinsk.

The third site was found some 80 kilometers further to the northwest, near the town of Zlatoust. One of the fragments that struck near Chebarkul left a crater six meters in diameter.

Servicemembers from the tank brigade that found the crater have confirmed that background radiation levels at the site are normal.


Region Where Meteor Blast Took Place


"According to the latest information an operations center has been set up at the request of Governor Mikhail Yurevich, the meteor passed over the territory of the Chelyabinsk region and fell into the pool, 1 km from the city of Chebarkul," - according to a press release.

Meanwhile, a leading expert  of the Chebarkulsky urban district civil defense Yuri Gulyakov told "Gazeta.ru" that  there are about 550 victims from destruction caused by an impact iof the blast on the city. Information on the exact site of the crash of a celestial body official  has not been released.

Rescuers have not yet found fragments of the meteorite, which burnt  in the sky over the Urals, according to "Interfax" ireports from the Information Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.
"As of 12.00 MSK falling objects were detected and air reconnaissance was conducted by  seven aircraft iwhich have been inspecting the Chebarkul, Etkulsky, Satka and Asha areas and Miass and Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk region ", - according to the  MOE.

MES earlier reported that no debris in the Chelyabinsk region has been found , and all the damage was caused only by the shock wave.

According to the Interior Ministry, the number of victims from a meteorite blast in the Chelyabinsk region was about 400 people but that number has grown to 550.

"It was destroyed in the atmosphere creating a cloud of fragments,  that resulted in a shock wave and burst of light. Hence the flash and broken windows. Much of the material has evaporated, the remaining pieces stalled and fell. But  the exact location on the wreckage has not been determined "- said the scientist.

Another Tunguska Event?

A series of explosions in the skies of Russia’s Urals region, reportedly caused by a meteorite shower, has sparked panic in three major cities. Witnesses said that houses shuddered, windows were blown out and cellphones have stopped working. According to unconfirmed reports, the meteorite was intercepted by an air defense unit at the Urzhumka settlement near Chelyabinsk. A missile salvo reportedly blew the meteorite to pieces at an altitude of 20 kilometers. More here

Atmospheric phenomena have been registered in the cities of Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg and Tyumen. Some believe it is related to the approaching asteroid 2012 DA14.

Military Intervention:

According to unconfirmed reports, the meteorite was intercepted by an air defense unit at the Urzhumka settlement near Chelyabinsk. A missile salvo blew the meteorite to pieces at an altitude of 20 kilometers, local newspaper Znak reports quoting a source in the military.

Regnum news agency quoted a military source who claimed that the vapor condensation trail of the meteorite speaks to the fact that the meteorite was intercepted by air defenses.

Army units found three meteorite debris impact sites, two of which are in an area near Chebarkul Lake, west of Chelyabinsk. The third site was found some 80 kilometers further to the northwest, near the town of Zlatoust.

The Russian space agency Roskosmos has confirmed the object that crashed in the Chelyabinsk region is a meteorite and is not of technological origin. “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/per second.”  The landing area of any fragments has not yet been determined and such objects are difficult to track according to Roskosmos 

Factory Destroyed
A roof collapsed into Chelyabinsk region  when a meteorite destroyed a Zinc Factory. Pictures of the affected companies have appeared in Twitter.  The blast affected areas as far away as 80 kilometers.  
 It is reported that after the fall of the meteorite fragments in the factory caught fire.


By Александр Корецкий @a_koretsky


Photo: vk.com
Reporter standing next to meteor blasted factory wall


One user posted a photo go to the factory, which is badly damaged ceiling. Presumably, the damage caused by the samples Samples wall fragments of a meteorite.

The plant has been reported that the broken wall of the concentrate storage, do not pose environmental hazards and damaged government buildings. Four people from the staff were slightly injured.


Building with windows blasted out by shockwave from the meteor air burst

Photo: vk.com
In many homes, the shock wave blew out windows  and in some buildings roofs collapsed, also  broken electric wires are reported

Photo: Eugene Hazhey / ITAR-TASS

First Shard Of Meteorite Found 

Armored Brigade soldiers discovered a meteorite impact site on Lake Chebarkul in the Chelyabinsk region. The meteor shard is in a crater of six meters The military got to the crash site of one of the fragments of the Chelyabinsk meteorite  near  lake Chebarkul. According to RIA Novosti, the representative of the Central Military District Colonel Jaroslav Roshchupkin on the shore tank crews discovered six-meter crater.
Jaroslav Roshchupkin , spokesman CVO: "On the shores of Lake Chebarkul, opposite the same name, the military separate tank brigade found the place the alleged fall of a fragment of a meteorite - a funnel diameter of about six meters."


Servicemen measured radiation level on the site of a meteorite. According to a representative of the Armed Forces, the radiation level does not exceed the norm.

Dozens of pieces of debris from large meteor reached Earth - Emergency Situations Ministry


Photo: RIA Novosti

The meteorite that fell in the Chelyabinsk region fell into several dozen large pieces, Russian Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said.

"There were several dozen fairly large pieces, of which some reached Earth. Special groups of scientists are now studying these pieces at the site," Puchkov told reporters on Friday.

A laboratory has been deployed in the emergency area, he said. The radiation levels are normal and no chemically dangerous emissions have been registered, he said.

"There is no threat to people's lives or health from other factors either," Puchkov said. The chemical composition of the pieces will be determined after a comprehensive analysis.

Meteor debris should not be touched - Emergency Situations Ministry

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has warned about the dangers of coming near meteorite debris, which can be found in the Urals.

First Report of Injuries
Chelyabinsk regional administration made ​​a special annoucement , which encouraged people to return home and pick up the kids from school. Local officials made ​​it clear that in many homes broken glass. Background radiation in the region is normal, added the administration.

Earlier it was reported that when a meteorite hit the four students. teenagers were injured by broken glass, broken by the blast.

A fragment of the meteorite, which fell over the Urals and injured hundreds of people may have fallen in Tavda - on the border of the Sverdlovsk and Tyumen regions, according to Znak.com  citing the local Duma deputy Viktor Nikulin.  According to Nikulin, the message was received from the villagers from an area 10 kilometers south of Tavda.

"There went to the police. The residents claim that their houses were shaking, "- explained Nikulin. Residents of the Tavda claim that did see a bright light in the sky, but no explosions were heard.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Emergency Situations says there are signs of  meterorites falling in the Tyumen region.

In Chelyabinsk, witnesses said the explosion was so loud that it resembled an earthquake and thunder at the same time, and that there were huge trails of smoke across the sky. Others reported seeing burning objects fall to earth, according to The Voice of Russia.


Office buildings in downtown Chelyabinsk were evacuated. The regional Emergency Ministry said the phenomenon was a meteorite shower, but locals have speculated that it was a military fighter jet crash or a missile explosion.


More than 470 people sought help after the fall of  meteorite fragments in the Chelyabinsk region,  22 of them were hospitalized. That's according to the head of the National Center for Crisis Management Emergency Situations Vladimir Stepanov on radio station "Vesti FM", and the  broadcast was quoted by RIA "Novosti".
"Among them,  10 children were affected, with serious injuries," - said Stepanov.

Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized immediately in Chelyabinsk increased to nine. This was reported on the official website  of the city administration.

"According to the Department of Health Administration of Chelyabinsk, at 13.00 on February 15,  367 people, including 58 children were seeking medical help in the city . This includes 35  ambulance calls,  the rest went to the hospital emergency room on their own. 9 people were hospitalized, including two children.  Injuries were caused mainly by broken glass after the blast shattered windows, "- according to a  statement.

This video shows panic in a school after the exploding meteor

 
 As a result of a meteorite in the Chelyabinsk region many houses and building had their glass windows blown out.  As many as 130 students were  injured from cuts, according to "Interfax", the press center of the Interior Ministry.

According to the press center, in the Chelyabinsk region in the area of Satka about 80 km from the district center  where the meteorite fell,  many Satka homes and buildings, facing towards Chelyabinsk the site of the crash had their glass windows destroyed.  

Chelyabinsk falling meteorite impact

Read more: http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/463157/#ixzz2Kx5VSD33

Scientist: meteorite fall in the Chelyabinsk region could cause a ozone hole

The consequence of a meteorite in the Chelyabinsk region could  cause an  ozone hole in the atmsophere, acciord to PhD, Associate Professor of Theoretical Physics, Chelyabinsk State University Sergei Zamozdra speaking with "Gazety.Ru"

 The meteor blew up at an altitude of about 50 kilometers according to Zamozdra by his estimation of the time it took for the  shock waves  to arrive was about two minutes after the flash, and the sound traveled at about  three seconds per  kilometer. A trace of the fragment, probably went in the direction of Miass, somewhere in that area may lie a real meteorite or crater.

 When an object enters the atmosphere and explodes, it first destroys the ozone layer. And, of course, be upon us now is a small ozone hole, and we get a small amount more ultraviolet radiation. As for radioactive contamination - I think they can not grow much because most meteorites are not radioactive. The most powerful is the effect - a flash of light and shock, "- said Zamozdra.

"It's hard to predict that the meteorite fall is near Chelyabinsk. The error in this calculation is 500 kilometers. Fall to Earth each year, such large stones, but judging by the flash, it was very rare.This event takes place on Earth every 20-30 years, "- he added.

The weakening of the ozone layer increases the flux of solar radiation on Earth and cause people to increase the number of skin cancers. Also, high levels of radiation leads to a sharp increase in mortality of marine animals and plants.
Warning for 2nd Wave Of Meteors 

EMERCOM in Chelyabinsk region warned the emergency services and medical facilities on the second wave of falling fireballs. It is reported by Ura.ru  .

According to the agency, the second series of cars waiting for the fall with 12 hours and 30 minutes to 14 hours. Officially, these data are not confirmed.

Video by Алексей Павлович
Above Chelyabinsk 15/02/2013g. at 9:00 a.m. about 30 minutes after the meteor blast, which was a bright fireball enveloped by smoke on a dark circle and powerful white trail behind. At first impression, that before you the sun rises, so it was brilliant. It was seen many residents of Chelyabinsk and Chelyabinsk region. After 3 minutes, followed by a series of explosions. The first most powerful, from which flew glass in many homes, offices, schools, kindergartens and other facilities, has worked in the car alarm and there were failures of cellular communication, as well as multi-car electronics.Two slightly smaller and about 10-12 residues. This event made a major stir among residents of Chelyabinsk and left in memory of something new and very real fear ... some force space, which can lead to the death of all mankind,"  writes Алексей Павлович

Marsel Nizamov


The consequences of the meteorite in SUSU Chelyabinsk by Nikita Tyshchenko


Russian Academy of Sciences 
The Russian Academy of Sciences reported the Chelyabinsk meteor by saying: "This morning in the city of Chelyabinsk  the fall of a cosmic body was recorded, which caused a bright flash of light and a strong shock wave.

It shattered windows in homes. We estimate the size of the body was a few meters, the weight of the order of ten tons, the energy of a few kilotons. The body of the meteor  fell into the atmosphere at a speed of 15-20 km / s, and broke apart at an altitude of 30-50 km, the movement of the fragments at high speed caused powerful glow and a strong shock wave. The main part of the substance of the falling body  evaporated (burned), the fragments that fell to the ground as meteorites. Usually, the total mass of meteorites is found no more 1-5% of the initial mass. The main energy will be released at an altitude of 5-15 km.

The bodies of this size are falling quite often, several times a year, but usually burn at high altitudes (30-50 km). It seems the body was very strong, probably iron. The last time a similar phenomenon was observed in Russia was in 2002 (Vitim bolide). More accurate estimates can be given after receipt of all the information available."
Meteor arrival in sequence















S Urals meteorite investigated for link to  asteroid  2012DA14 
Astronomers at the Pulkovo Observatory outside St Petersburg say they believe the meteorite that crashed into the South Urals this morning was linked to the approach of the 2012DA14 asteroid, which is to make a close shave with the Earth at a distance of just 27,000 kilometers tonight.

In St. Petersburg, astronomers at the planetarium will try to find out whether there is a danger to Earth from other meteorites. "Perhaps the asteroid DA14 is a" suite"  and the  Chelyabinsk meteor was part of that suite. . They are trying to  find out if there the asteroid has "traveling companions" said astronomer Maxim Hovrichev , who was quoted by "Interfax ".

According to Hovrichev  St. Petersburg will see the asteroid DA14 on Friday at midnight. "It will be weaker than the faintest stars, so he advise people to use  binoculars,"

Cuban Meteor 
Residents of a locality ‘in the central region of Cuba said they had seen an object that fell from the sky and exploded with a great noise, which shook the houses of the place: it is learned from testimonies collected by local television. In service published this morning by Rodas, town in the province of Cienfuegos, witnesses described a very bright light that has come to have large size, comparable to that of a bus, before exploding in the sky.
http://www.rainews24.rai.it/it/news.php?newsid=174956

2nd source
Huge explosion in the sky in Cuba Meanwhile, also from Cuba has been reported in an explosion sky. In the central region of the island has seen an object that fell from the sky and exploded with a great noise, which shook the houses in the place, reports on local television. In a report released this morning by Rodas, town in the province of Cienfuegos, witnesses described a very bright light that has come to have large size, comparable to that of a bus, before exploding in the sky.

Marcos Rodriguez, a resident in region, as defined by the issuer an expert, reported that “everything seems to indicate that it was a fireball, which is a fragment of stone and metal that enters the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed.” Experts are now examining the area for possible remains Rodas minerals falling from the sky, the TV station added

Meteorite Falls In Russian Urals








Russian meteorite crash: LIVE UPDATES

Published: 15 February, 2013, 11:42
Edited: 15 February, 2013, 21:48
Youtube video courtesy Alexandr Ivanov
(3.1Mb)embed video
An aerial meteorite explosion has wreaked havoc in Russia’s Urals. The blast caused widespread panic, damaged buildings, blew out thousands of windows and lead hundreds to seek medical attention for minor injuries.
The incident was caused by a bolide, officials said. Multiple dashboard videos appeared online, showing huge fireballs flying over buildings and exploding with a strong blast as the meteriote broke into pieces mid-air. A local zinc factory was the worst-hit, with some of its walls collapsed. 
17:50 GMT: The authorities of the Chelyabinsk region assessed the damage from the meteorite at 1 billion rubles, said Governor Mikhail Yurevich .
17:49 GMT: The Emergency Ministry said that at least 300 homes will have to be glazed. ‘As a result of an emergency situation in a number of towns and cities of Chelyabinsk region there are isolated cases of damage to the upper floors windows in 297 buildings, including 6 hospitals and 16 schools and pre-schools’ the ministry’s spokesman said. In addition, the work of three gas distribution stations was interrupted disrupting the gas supply to over 2000 people. Presently the gas supply has been restored in full, according to the ministry.
17:34 GMT: 1200 people were injured in Chelyabinsk region as a result of the meteorite fall, Russian Interior Ministry spokesman said.
16:35 GMT: The Emergency Ministry has since denied sending out SMS warnings about the meteor shower in the Chelyabinsk region. The ministry added that informing residents started after the incident and the spokesperson who spread the false information on the incident was fired.
16:19 GMT: The fireball that hit Russia’s Urals is the largest rock to strike the planet since 1908, Nature Magazine says. The blast was even more powerful than North Korea’s recent nuclear test, added the UK journal. Unlike the Russian Academy of Science, it estimated that the mass of the fireball was around 40 tons before it entered the atmosphere. Russian scientists put the mass at 10 tons.

15:55 GMT: Two hockey matches in the city of Chelyabinsk were cancelled after a wall at the city’s ice arena was damaged by a piece of meteorite.
15:42 GMT: NASA said that the Chelyabinsk fireball had nothing to do with the approaching 2012 DA14 asteroid, as some scientists had previously suggested.
"The trajectory of the Russian meteorite was significantly different than the trajectory of the asteroid 2012 DA14, making it a completely unrelated object,” the space agency said on its website. “In videos of the meteor, it is seen to pass from left to right in front of the rising sun, which means it was traveling from north to south. Asteroid DA14's trajectory is in the opposite direction, from south to north."
15:28 GMT: The Russian Academy of Science now estimates the meteorite had a mass of around 10 tons before it entered Earth’s atmosphere, and began disintegrating at an altitude of between 30 and 50 kilometers.
15:01 GMT: Around 1,000 people have sustained injuries in Chelyabinsk due to the meteorite strike, says the Emergencies Ministry. 159 of them are children.
13:20 GMT: The number of people injured in the meteorite blast has risen to 950, Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Mikhail Yurevitch said.
13:10 GMT: Roscosmos said they did not track the meteorite that fell near Chelyabinsk. “Our ground facilities and, as I understand, those abroad too did not the monitor this celestial body,” the agency spokesman said.
13:02 GMT: Nearly 3,000 buildings in Chelyabinsk were damaged to varying extents by the meteor shower, including 34 medical facilities and 361 schools and kindergartens, the city administration’s website reported. The total amount of window glass shattered amounts to 100,000 square meters, the site said, citing city administration head Sergey Davydov.
12:52 GMT: The meteorite’s combustion products won’t stay in the atmosphere for long, and will soon come down with the rain, Russian scientists said. The 50-ton meteorite is believed to have caused no radioactive or chemical pollution.
12:49 GMT: There’s practically “no chance” such incident could happen in the region again, the Russian Academy of Sciences said. Roshydromet monitoring systems have detected flybys of several meteorites overnight and in the morning.
A hole in Chebarkul Lake made by meteorite debris. Photo by Chebarkul town head Andrey Orlov.
A hole in Chebarkul Lake made by meteorite debris. Photo by Chebarkul town head Andrey Orlov.
12:38 GMT: First images of the crater from the meteorite fall appear online. 
12:24 GMT: The military had nothing to do with the aerial meteorite explosion, the Urals Emergency Ministry said: "Russia's defense ministry took no action connected to the incident. No aircrafts has been registered in the air at the given period of time." Earlier, there were unconfirmed reports that the military had shot down the falling meteorite, shattering it into pieces.
12:21 GMT: Vladimir Puchkov, the head of the Russian Emergency Ministry, is flying to Chelyabinsk to hold an emergency meeting with regional governor Mikhail Yurevich concerning the meteor shower incident, which injured over 725 people.
Weather sattelite Meteosat 10 has taken an image of the meteriote shortly after entering the atmosphere.(Copyright 2013 © EUMETSAT)
Weather sattelite Meteosat 10 has taken an image of the meteriote shortly after entering the atmosphere.(Copyright 2013 © EUMETSAT)
12:05 GMT: Six cities and four small towns saw damage from the air blast produced by the meteorite, mostly shattered windows, Itar-Tass reported, citing police officials.
12:01 GMT: The site where the meteorite is believed to have fallen has been closed off by military units wearing special protective suits.
12:00 GMT: Three municipalities of the Chelyabinsk region have declared a state of emergency. "8 out of 43 municipalities have considerably suffered from the fall of space debris, 3 are in state of emergency," Emergency Ministry spokesperson Igor Murog said.
11:42 GMT: A phone hotline has been launched for Chelyabinsk residents seeking psychological care.
11:40 GMT: Two people injured in the meteorite incident are in intensive care, RIA Novosti reported, citing Chelyabinsk officials.
11:36 GMT: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s Emergency Ministry to evaluate the damage caused by the meteorite incident, and to provide victims with all necessary aid. He said that the “astronomic aspect of the incident” is of particular interest, because analysis of the Chelyabinsk meteorite fall could help prevent future such incidents and alert residents in advance.
11:33 GMT: At least 297 apartment buildings were damaged from the meteorite fall in the Chelyabinsk region, an Emergency Ministry spokesperson told Russia 24 TV.
11:30 GMT: Parts of the Chelyabinsk meteorite are 'on sale' on some Russian websites. "Will sell meteorite pieces cheap, photos later," an announcement read.
11:19 GMT: The Russian military has explored a meteorite crater that is reportedly 6 meters in diameter; normal radiation levels were detected at the site.
11:12 GMT: Nearly 725 people have requested medical assistance in regions hit by the meteor shower.
11:10 GMT: The meteorite blast in the Chelyabinsk region may be connected to the 2012DA14 asteroid, which will pass close to Earth tonight, Tatyana Borisevich from Pulkovo Observatory told Itar-Tass.
11:00 GMT: Gas has been shut off in hundreds of Chelyabinsk homes after a security system shut it down due to the explosion.
10:55 GMT: The meteorite explosion sent animals in the Chelyabinsk zoo into a panic. Wolves and horses were reportedly the most agitated, but have now been calmed.



Watch this video
9:36 GMT: There is a high chance that another meteorite could enter the Earth’s atmosphere in the next few hours,Sergey Smirnov from Pulkovo Observatory told Vesti news channel.
9:31 GMT: All universities, schools and kindergartens in Chelyabinsk have been closed for two days.
9:14 GMT: Sixteen people were hospitalized after meteorite debris hit the Russian Urals.
A man identifying himself as Viktor poses for a photograph after receiving treatment for injuries sustained from a shock wave that followed after a falling object was sighted in the sky in the Urals region, at an emergency room in a hospital in Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013.(Reuters / Andrei Kuzmin)
A man identifying himself as Viktor poses for a photograph after receiving treatment for injuries sustained from a shock wave that followed after a falling object was sighted in the sky in the Urals region, at an emergency room in a hospital in Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013.(Reuters / Andrei Kuzmin)
9:07 GMT: "The object could be about a meter in diameter and weigh a few tons,” Valeriy Shuvalov of the Institute of Geosphere Dynamics told RIA-Novosti. “As it entered the atmosphere, it broke into a cloud of pieces that flew on, creating a blast wave and emitting light. That's where the flashes came from, as well as broken windows. Most of the object’s material evaporated, the remaining pieces slowed down and fell. It was most likely of iron nature as it penetrated so far through the atmosphere. However, we still don't have the exact data on the debris."
8:56 GMT: The Chelyabinsk regional governor reported that an emergency team discovered that a meteorite fell into a lake near the town of Chebarkul.
8:49 GMT: The number of people requesting medical assistance has risen to 500.



‘Shock and frustration’: Locals report on meteorite crash in Russian Urals (VIDEO)

Published: 15 February, 2013, 11:47
Video: A collapsed wall at the Chelyabinsk zinc factory after a meteorite fell nearby. Photo: Twitter.com user @varlamov
(6.2Mb)embed video
A meteorite shower exploding across the skies is quite an unusual wakeup call – many people in the Russian Urals region woke up to this sight on Friday morning. The powerful blast smashed windows and rattled houses, causing widespread panic.
Locals first reported on the incident at 9:30am (3:30 GMT) local time, as people wrote on social media of hearing explosions, complained about blown-out windows and wondered about the cause of the disturbance.
“The most unusual morning ever – to wake up from the wind and the rumble, to yell hysterically while all the family is running around shocked,” Nastya Grabluk wrote on Twitter minutes after the incident.
In the city of Chelyabinsk, many said they were shocked and frustrated this morning. “I am still young, I don’t want to die!” Zimnukhova Elena wrote on Twitter, adding: “It is a nightmare… I am still shaking and sobbing periodically.”
Those who saw the meteorite fall reported witnessing a bright flash and numerous explosions.
“My heart is still beating 200 heartbeats a minute! … I saw this terrible flash, it was red-orange! My eyes are still hurting,” a witness from Chelyabinsk wrote on a local web forum. “I turned off all the lights, sat the kids on a couch and waited… Oh, my God, I thought the war had begun.”
Natalia, another Chelyabinsk resident, also expressed frustration. “Windows were blown out, furniture was jumping, I am shaking now. What do I do? I first grabbed my cat and passport and ran outside, but then was told to come back home, get some water and sit here,” she said, according to Komsomolskaya Pravda.
RIA Novosti
RIA Novosti
The sound of the explosion and the shaking of buildings triggered a wave of speculation on Twitter. “I was stunned… They say it is meteorite!! Oh yes, it had to necessarily fall on Chelyabinsk,” city resident Arina Pazhova tweeted. 
“Well, it is either a plane or a meteorite,” Bogdan Sevastyanov wrote on his Twitter account.
Mobile connections in some areas of Chelyabinsk shut down after a meteorite reportedly crashed into an antenna. For many people, the Internet has become the only way to make sure that their friends and family are fine.
In the initial hours after the explosion, people posted hundreds of messages on Twitter asking their loved ones if they were safe.
As the shock receded, many began to crack jokes: “You would rather like to see Bruce Willis in such situation than Russian Emergency Ministry,” Alina Vostrina said on Twitter.
Many fear that more meteorites are on the way: “Chelyabinsk, attention! They say, that at 11 pm this may repeat, because not [all] of the debris have fallen yet. Stay away from windows and put down the curtains,” Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted Anna from Chelyabinsk as saying.
Photo from znak.com
Photo from znak.com
Screenshot from YouTube user Eproskochil
Screenshot from YouTube user Eproskochil
















MOSCOW (AP) - A meteor streaked across the sky above Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and reportedly injuring around 100 people, including many hurt by broken glass.

Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region, the Emergency Ministry said in a statement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said 102 people had called for medical assistance following the incident, mostly for treatment of injuries from glass broken by the explosions.

Kolsenikov also said about 600 square meters (6000 square feet) of a roof at a zinc factory had collapsed.

Reports conflicted on what exactly happened in the clear skies. A spokeswoman for the Emergency Ministry, Irina Rossius, told The Associated Press that there was a meteor shower, but another ministry spokeswoman, Elena Smirnikh, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying it was a single meteorite.

Amateur video broadcast on Russian television showed an object speeding across the sky about 9:20 a.m. local time (0320 GMT), leaving a thick white contrail and an intense flash.


Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/russian-officials-report-a-meteorite-hits-east-of-moscow-causing-possible-injuries-at-nearby-school/?%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F#ixzz2KxDbwGDN


The trail of a falling object is seen above a residential apartment block in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk (Reuters)


A meteor shower has rained down on central Russia, reportedly injuring dozens of people and causing widespread damage. Witnesses in the Ural region reported flashes and sharp explosions in the morning sky.
Russian Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said that at least 100 people called for medical assistance early Friday when meteor fragments hit the sparsely populated Ural's region of Chelyabinsk.
Most of those injured were treated for minor cuts and bruises from shattered glass broken by the explosions, the local police department told Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. The impact reportedly blew out windows from a number of buildings, although the extent of the damage remains unclear.
"A meteorite disintegrated above the Urals [mountain range in central Russia], partially burning up in the lower atmosphere," the local office of the national Emergencies Ministry announced in a statement.
"At 11 a.m. local time [0500 GMT] we received numerous calls of panic, power cuts and contusions," the Interfax news agency quoted the local government as saying.
A nuclear power plant in the region is thought to have been unaffected.
ccp/mkg (AFP, AP, Reuters)

400 injured by meteorite falls in Russian Urals

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A germinid meteor streaks from the sky over a barn in Saukville, Wis. on Dec. 14, 2012. (Photo: AP, Jeffrey Phelps)
15 February 2013 /AP, MOSCOW
 A meteor streaked across the sky above Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and injuring more than 400 people, many of them hurt by broken glass.

Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region, the Emergency Ministry said in a statement.






Russian meteorite crash: LIVE UPDATES

Published: 15 February, 2013, 11:42

Screenshot from YouTube user kinomanfilms
Screenshot from YouTube user kinomanfilms

The Russian Urals region has been stricken by a sudden cosmic attack. Unidentified flying objects exploded over several major cities, including Chelyabinsk, where the blast waves blew out windows and disrupted mobile connections.
The Emergency Ministry said the incident was caused by a shower of meteorite debris. Unconfirmed reports suggested that a meteorite was shot down by Russian air defenses. Multiple dashboard videos appeared online, showing huge fireballs flying over buildings and exploding with a strong blast. A local zinc factory was the worst-hit, with some of its walls collapsed. 
8:30 GMT: Residents of Chelyabinsk buy out plastic wrap to screen the windows blown off by the meteor shower blast wave, as temperatures are expected to fall to -14°C at night.
8:20 GMT: More than 400 people have requested medical attention for minor injuries after a meteor shower hit the Russian Urals region. The number of injured may change, police said.
Damaged factory in Chelyabinsk. Photo from znak.com
Damaged factory in Chelyabinsk. Photo from znak.com

embed video
CCTV cameras register the moment of explosion


8:10 GMT: Oleg Malkov, an aerospace scientist at Moscow State University, told Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper that the meteorite went undetected by space scanners, likely because it was coming from the direction of the Sun. "We can only register stones coming from the direction of the night sky," he explained. Malkov confirmed that the meteor shower in the Urals was not connected to the 2012DA14 asteroid that will approach Earth in a few hours.

8:03 GMT:Up to 250 injured, 3 in critical condition after meteorite hits

7:46 GMT: Ekaterinburg’s observatory has officially deemed the incident a fireball meteor shower. No evacuations were called for, and radiation levels were determined to be normal.

7:40 GMT: Vice Premier Dmitry Rogozin wrote on Twitter that he will offer suggestions to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on how to prevent or mitigate meteorite damage in future.

7:30 GMT: ­The number of people seeking medical attention has risen to 150.
Broken windows and debris are seen inside a sports hall following sightings of a falling object in the sky in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013.(Reuters / OOO Spetszakaz)
Broken windows and debris are seen inside a sports hall following sightings of a falling object in the sky in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013.(Reuters / OOO Spetszakaz)
Photo from znak.com
Photo from znak.com
Screenshot from YouTube user kinomanfilms



Over 250 injured in meteor strike above central Russia

MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse

AP Photo/ AL.com, Mark Almond
AP Photo/ AL.com, Mark Almond
Over 250 people were injured on Friday when a meteor burned up above the central Russian city of Chelyabinsk, unleashing a shock wave that shattered panes of glass, the interior ministry said.

"Over 250 people were injured, three of them seriously," the interior ministry said in a statement toRussian news agencies, adding that damage was recorded in six towns.

A meteor shower caused explosions in the lower atmosphere above Russia's Urals region on Friday, blowing out windows in some areas and leaving several people injured, officials and agencies reported.

"A meteorite exploded above the Chelyabinsk region (of the Urals). The shock wave blew out windows in several places," but no meteor fragments hit the ground, an emergencies ministry spokesman told the Interfax news agency. "According to the preliminary information, four people were injured by flying glass," the ministry added. An agency report spoke of several injuries.

Meteor shower sows panic in central Russia

A heavy meteor shower rained down on central Russia on Friday, sowing panic as the hurtling space debris smashed windows and injured dozens of stunned locals, officials said.

Television footage showed morning traffic grinding to a quick halt in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk as a blinding flash lit up the blue sky, causing some to huddle in buildings for safety.

A medical source said that 100 people came to hospitals for medical treatment, while the emergencies ministry confirmed that cellular telephone communications were temporarily cut.

"A meteorite disintegrated above the Urals (mountain range in central Russia), partially burning up in the lower atmosphere," the local office of the national emergencies ministry said in a statement.

"Fragments of the meteorite reached Earth, falling in sparsely populated areas in the Chelyabinsk region," it said.

Officials said a part of the meteorite fell 80 kilometres from the town of Satki, itself 100 kilometres west of the regional centre.

Schools were closed for the day across the region after the impact blew out windows of buildings and temperatures had plunged in central Russia to -18 degrees Celsius.

Most of those injured were treated for minor cuts and bruises from shattered glass, the local police department told the RIA Novosti news agency.

The Chelyabinsk region is Russia's industrial heartland, filled with smoke-chugging factories and other huge facilities that include a nuclear power plant and the massive Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.

A spokesman for Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy state corporation, said that its operations remained unaffected.

"All Rosatom enterprises located in the Urals region -- including the Mayak complex -- are working as normal," an unnamed Rosatom spokesman told Interfax.

The emergencies ministry said radiation levels in the region also did not change and that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those required help.

The defence ministry meanwhile said it had sent soldiers "to the sites of impact." Footage of the incident broadcast on state television showed at least two bright flashes fill the sky at around 9:00 am (0500 GMT) as the streets filled with morning rush hour traffic.

Amateur footage posted on YouTube showed local men swearing in surprise and fright, and others grinding their cars to a halt.

"At first I thought it was a plane," one man told Russian state television.
Screenshot from YouTube user kinomanfilms

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