Meteorite crashes into Russia, injuring hundreds (Photos)

In this photo taken with a mobile phone camera, a meteorite contrail is seen in Chelyabinsk region, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. Many of the dozens of people hurt were hurt by broken glass. A meteorite is seen streaking across the sky over Chelyabinsk, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. It crashed in Russia causing sharp explosions. In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru, municipal workers repair damaged electric power circuit outside a zinc factory building with about 600 square meters (6000 square feet) of a roof collapsed after a meteorite exploded over in Chelyabinsk region on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. View the list »
A dashboard camera, on a highway from Kostanai, Kazakhstan, to Chelyabinsk region, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013 shows a meteorite contrail. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia’s Ural Mountains, causing sharp explosions and injuring dozens of people.

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Early Friday, a meteor streaked across the Russian sky and crashed into the ground, creating a shock wave that damaged buildings and injured hundreds.

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An estimated 1,200 people were reported injured, mostly by broken glass and nearly 3,000 buildings were damaged, according to reports.

The damage from the meteor shower is estimated at more than $13 million, said the Minister of Emergency Situations of Russia Vladimir Puchkov.

Police dash cameras and onlookers captured images of the meteor as it descended to Earth, with some images of damage.

Here are some of the pictures from the area that was given an unpleasant jolt by the meteorite.

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  • A dashboard camera, on a highway from Kostanai, Kazakhstan, to Chelyabinsk region, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013 shows a meteorite contrail. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia’s Ural Mountains, causing sharp explosions and injuring dozens of people.
  • In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru, municipal workers repair damaged electric power circuit outside a zinc factory building with about 600 square meters (6000 square feet) of a roof collapsed after a meteorite exploded over in Chelyabinsk region on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. 
  • A meteorite is seen streaking across the sky over Chelyabinsk, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. It crashed in Russia causing sharp explosions. 
  • In this photo taken with a mobile phone camera, a meteorite contrail is seen in Chelyabinsk region, Russia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. Many of the dozens of people hurt were hurt by broken glass. 
  • In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru, a woman cleans away glass debris from a window after a meteorite explosion over Chelyabinsk region on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. 
  • In this photo provided by E1.ru, a meteorite contrail is seen over a vilage of Bolshoe Sidelnikovo, 50 kilometers outside of Chelyabinsk, on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. 
  • A zinc factory in the Chelyabinski region of Russia was damaged after a meteor crashed into Earth in the region. About 600 square meters of the roof collapsed on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. 
  • A man in Moscow looks at a computer screen displaying a picture reportedly taken in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk on Feb. 15, 2013, showing the trail of a falling object above a residential area of the city. 
  • An image from the SEVIRI instrument aboard the European Space Agency’s Meteosat-10 geostationary satellite. The vapor trail left by the meteor is visible in the center of the image. 
  • NASA weather satellite Meteosat 10 has taken an image of the meteorite shortly after entering the atmosphere early Friday, Feb. 15, 2013.    
  • A hole in Chebarkul Lake made by meteorite debris. Photo by Chebarkul town head Andrey Orlov early Friday, Feb. 15, 2013.    
  • Police officers, environmentalists and EMERCOM experts at the site of a meteorite hit in the Chelyabinsk Region. Small 0.5-1 cm pieces of black matter resembling rock were found around the ice hole caused by the meteorite. Photo courtesy of the press service of the Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for the Chelyabinsk Region.
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, Science & Space Examiner

Johnny Kelly is well-versed in the science field and has gathered broad college experience from majoring in meteorology and geography.  He looks to provide the latest updates on science and space news as it develops and or changes.  You may contact Johnny with any comments and or questions.

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