Video: Meteorite Hits Russia, Injuring 1,000 People

 By 
Stan Schroeder
 on 
Video: Meteorite Hits Russia, Injuring 1,000 People

A meteorite hit Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring more than 500 people and causing damage to nearby cars and buildings, Reuters reports.

Residents of the industrial city some 950 miles east of Moscow saw a white trail and a bright light in the sky, followed by an explosion which shattered the window glass from nearby houses.

No one has been killed in the incident, and most injuries were caused by the flying glass.

"I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it was day. I felt like I was blinded by headlights," said Viktor Prokofiev, a 36-year-old resident of Yekaterinburg.

The entire incident has been captured on several videos. In the video above, taken from a dashboard of a driving vehicle, you can clearly see the explosion in the sky and the trail of the meteorite as it falls apart in the atmosphere.

Chelyabinsk city authorities said the blast had happened at an altitude of 32,800 feet, and the Emergencies Ministry said background radiation levels were normal, urging residents not to panic.

Update: an report from the Russian Interior Ministry now claims more than 1,000 people have been injured.

Approx. 1,000 hurt in meteorite event - Interior Ministry bit.ly/VkFQiU— Interfax News (IFAX) (@IFAXnews) February 15, 2013

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