Meteorite blast over Russia injures about 1,200

A meteorite explodes over the Ural Mountains in Russia this morning. /Image via newsinfo.inquirer.net


This shot across Earth's bow left a mark.

Russian officials are reporting a meteorite explosion over the Ural Mountains today has injured about 1,200 people, most suffering cut wounds from windows shattered in the blast. While far smaller that the mid-air meteorite explosion linked to the Tunguska Event in 1908, today's celestial event damaged at least 300 buildings, including the collapse of a metal factory's roof.

The meteorite that exploded this morning, which is estimated to have weighed 10 tons when it entered the Earth's atmosphere, literally shook the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains. The Russian Interior Ministry reported that about 1,200 people were injured, including more than 200 children.

Dramatic video of the meteorite explosion was captured on the dash cameras of several Russian motorists. Dash cameras are used widely in Russia because citizens fear encounters with corrupt police officers.