Russia hit by meteorite strikes causing injuries to locals

 Spectacular falling meteorite fragments struck the Chelyabinsk region on Friday morning exploding in the lower atmosphere.

A large object flashed across the sky at around 9.20am local time, evidently breaking into several pieces. Pictures show a streak of smoke followed by several bright blasts of flames.

The explosions shattered glass in many apartment blocks in the vicinity of the strike, and there were initial reports of injuries to four children at a Chelyabinsk school.

One eyewitness Gulnara Dudka, in her 20s, gave a dramatic account of the meteorite, telling how she feared 'doomsday' had arrived.

'What was it? People said it was a plane that fell and exploded,' she said. 'I saw a bright blast from behind me. Everything was lit up, very bright light.

'It was like from Armageddon movie when the meteorite rain started, I really thought it was like doomsday.

 'It was so scary especially the explosion. It was very strong. I am speechless. It was so strong. My camera couldn't reproduce how strong the bang was.'

There were initial fears that the explosion was caused by a plane crash but officials immediately identified one or more meteorites.

The meteorite apparently broke up, one part falling close to a school and another near a factory where cables were damaged either from the falling object or the associated explosion. Reports also suggested fragments fell on Satka, 200km (120 miles) from Chelyabinsk, the regional capital.

Other reports suggested a meteorite shower.
'I was sitting at home and typing something on my computer. Suddenly there was a huge bright flash,' said Konstantin Zharinov, historian and journalist from Chelyabinsk.

'At first I thought something happened at my neighbours place but a minute later the sound of the explosion came.'

He said ' many lost their windows, glass is everywhere in the streets'.

The meteorite flew across the Russian sky from the direction of Kazakhstan, its trajectory going over southern Siberia, above the Tyumen, Kurgan and Sverdlovsk regions, said the head of the Urals regional branch of the Emergencies Ministry press service, Vadim Grebennikov.

'At the moment we are checking the territories and counting how many towns and settlements suffered from it. Preliminary information says the meteorite did not fall down but exploded in the air'.

Radiation levels were normal, said officials. Residents in one 19 storey block reported feeling the shockwaves of the explosions.

The sounds of car alarms and breaking windows could be heard in the area, said a witness, and there were reports that the internet and mobile networks were temporarily down.

'Preliminary indications are that it was a meteorite rain,' said an emergency official.

'We have information about a blast at 10,000-meter (32,800-feet) altitude. It is being verified.'

The trace from a falling object could be seen in Yekaterinburg, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) southeast of Chelyabinsk, north Kazakhstan and Kurgan region, said a witness cited by Reuters.

The strike came on the same day an unrelated asteroid is expected to pass safely by Earth, causing no damage.