February 15, 2013

Powerful flash from the explosion lit up the sky over Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Kurgan region and Bashkortostan. There is destruction and wounded. 

At approximately 9:20 am (local time) in Chelyabinsk, a massive explosion, which was followed by a flash of light and deafening sound wave.

According to preliminary data, the celestial body, flying through the air, fell into the territory of the zinc plant in the capital of the Southern Urals, and broke down the wall of fiber connections and ISPs and mobile operators.

The results of the explosion were also clearly visible residents of Ekaterinburg and Kurgan region. According to eyewitnesses, the smoky plume falling object was visible in the sky, even at a distance of several kilometers from the city.

- The morning of 15 February on the remote operations duty officer MOE received numerous calls from witnesses who, according to preliminary data, saw the meteor rain, - the press-secretary of the Ministry of Emergency Measures for Kurgan region Olga Saburkina. - Data about the devastation in the Kurgan region no.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Chelyabinsk region, the blast blew out windows in buildings, people urgently lead out to the street. Is the mass evacuation. 

According to rescuers, many residents of Chelyabinsk had to be hospitalized with cuts from the crashed window panes. Already know about 4 wounded children being taken to hospital from the kindergarten № 461. Also injured nine students in the school № 15.

Specialists believe that the explosions are associated with passing near Earth asteroid 2012 DA14. This celestial object diameter of 45 km is at a record close of our planet - only 28 thousand kilometers.

- Over the Urals region recorded meteor rain as cars, - reported in the Urals Observatory. - The phenomenon was observed in several regions - Tyumen, Kurgan, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions and Bashkortostan. This is due to close to the Earth passing meteor.

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