Feb 15, 2013

More than 500 people were reportedly injured on Friday when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia. Debris from the explosion fell from the sky, damaging windows and buildings.

: A meteor streaks over the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia’s Ural Mountains on Friday morning, February 15, 2013, producing a blast that injured hundreds, caused minor damage to buildings and temporarily disrupted Internet communication, officials said. (Julia Airikh/Itar-Tass/Abaca Press/MCT Photo)

: Russian police work near an ice hole, said by the Interior Ministry department for Chelyabinsk region to be the point of impact of a meteor seen earlier in the Urals region, at Lake Chebarkul some 50 miles west of Chelyabinsk, Russia. (Photo provided by Chelyabinsk region Interior Ministry / Reuters)

: A Russian policeman works near an ice hole, said by the Interior Ministry department for Chelyabinsk region to be the point of impact of a meteor seen earlier in the Urals region, at Lake Chebarkul some 50 miles west of Chelyabinsk, Russia. (Photo provided by Chelyabinsk region Interior Ministry / Reuters)

: The trail of a falling object is seen above a residential apartment block in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013. A heavy meteor shower rained down today on central Russia, sowing panic as the hurtling space debris smashed windows and injured dozens of stunned locals, officials said. (Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: The trail of a falling object is seen above a residential apartment block in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, in this still image taken from video shot on February 15, 2013. A powerful blast rocked the Russian region of the Urals early on Friday with bright objects, identified as possible meteorites, falling from the sky, emergency officials said. (OOO Spetszakaz/Reuters)

: A view of the wall of a local zinc plant, which was damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013.(Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: A worker sweeps up shattered glass from a store’s broken windows in Chelyabinsk, Russia, February 15, 2013. A meteor that scientists estimate weighed 10 tons streaked at supersonic speed and exploded over Russia’s Ural Mountains on Friday, setting off blasts that shattered glass and brought down walls, injuring hundreds. (Andrei Ladygin/Russian Look/Zuma Press/MCT)

: 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. A meteorite shot across the sky in central Russia early on Friday and sent fireballs crashing to Earth, smashing windows, setting off car alarms and injuring 150 people. (Andrei Kuzmin/Reuters)

: The trail of a falling object is seen above the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, in this view from a residential apartment February 15, 2013. Hundreds of people were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky in central Russia on Friday sending fireballs crashing to Earth, smashing windows and setting off car alarms. (Igor Lyapustin/Reuters)

: The trail of a falling object is seen above the Urals city of Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013, in this picture provided by www.chelyabinsk.ru. Hundreds were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky in central Russia on Friday sending fireballs crashing to Earth, smashing windows and setting off car alarms. (www.chelyabinsk.ru / Handout photo / Reuters)

: The trail of a meteorite crosses the early morning sky above the city of Kamensk-Uralsky on February 15, 2013, in this still image taken from video footage from a dashboard journey recorder and obtained by REUTERS TV. Hundreds were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, sending fireballs crashing to Earth, shattering windows and damaging buildings (Amateur video via Reuters TV / Reuters)

: People stand in front of the facade of a local shop which was damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013. A meteor strike in central Russia that left hundreds of people injured is the biggest known human toll from a space rock, a British expert said. (Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: Workers repair a power line near the wall of a local zinc plant that was damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013. (Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: A view of the wall of a local zinc plant, which was damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013. (Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: A handout image from the SEVIRI instrument aboard Meteosat-10 geostationary satellite of EUMELSAT shows the vapor trail left by the meteor that was seen near Chelyabinsk in Russia, on February 15, 2013. (EUMETSAT Photo / Handout / Reuters)

: A satellite image taken by EUMETSAT Meteosat-9 shows the vapor trail left by the meteorite that exploded over central Russia on February 15, 2013. (EUMETSAT Photo / Handout / Reuters)

: Damage caused after a meteorite passed above the Urals city of Chelyabinsk on February 15, 2013. More than 500 people were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, sending fireballs crashing to Earth, shattering windows and damaging buildings. (Handout photo from www.chelyabinsk.ru / Reuters)

: A view of the facade of a local paint and varnish plant that was damaged by a shockwave from a meteor in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, on February 15, 2013. Buildings were damaged after a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday. (Oleg Kargopolov/AFP/Getty Images)

: People look at damage to a shop in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013. Buildings were damaged after a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday. (Andrei Kuzmin/Reuters)

Meteorite hits central Russia, more than 500 people hurt
Natalia Shurmina and Andrey Kuzmin, Reuters
9:39 a.m. EST, February 15, 2013

CHELYABINSK, Russia – More than 500 people were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, sending fireballs crashing to Earth, shattering windows and damaging buildings.

People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt a shockwave according to a Reuters correspondent in the industrial city 950 miles east of Moscow.

A fireball blazed across the horizon, leaving a long white trail in its wake which could be seen as far as 125 miles away in Yekaterinburg. Car alarms went off, windows shattered and mobile phone networks were interrupted.

Meteorite hits central Russia, hundreds injured

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