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| Meteorites injure hundreds in central Russia | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A meteor crashing in Russia's Ural mountains has injured at least 950 people, as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings. | A meteor crashing in Russia's Ural mountains has injured at least 950 people, as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings. |
| Most of those hurt, in the Chelyabinsk region where meteorites fell, suffered cuts and bruises but at least 46 remain in hospital. | |
| A fireball streaked through the clear morning sky, followed by loud bangs. | A fireball streaked through the clear morning sky, followed by loud bangs. |
| President Vladimir Putin said he thanked God no big fragments had fallen in populated areas. | President Vladimir Putin said he thanked God no big fragments had fallen in populated areas. |
| A large meteorite landed in a lake near Chebarkul, a town in Chelyabinsk region. | |
| The meteor's dramatic passing was witnessed in Yekaterinburg, 200km (125 miles) to the north, and in Kazakhstan, to the south. | The meteor's dramatic passing was witnessed in Yekaterinburg, 200km (125 miles) to the north, and in Kazakhstan, to the south. |
| "It was quite extraordinary," Chelyabinsk resident Polina Zolotarevskaya told BBC News. "We saw a very bright light and then there was a kind of a track, white and yellow in the sky." | "It was quite extraordinary," Chelyabinsk resident Polina Zolotarevskaya told BBC News. "We saw a very bright light and then there was a kind of a track, white and yellow in the sky." |
| "The explosion was so strong that some windows in our building and in the buildings that are across the road and in the city in general, the windows broke." | "The explosion was so strong that some windows in our building and in the buildings that are across the road and in the city in general, the windows broke." |
| Officials say a large meteor partially burned up in the lower atmosphere, resulting in a number of meteorites falling earthwards. | |
| Thousands of rescue workers have been dispatched to the area to provide help to the injured, the emergencies ministry said. | Thousands of rescue workers have been dispatched to the area to provide help to the injured, the emergencies ministry said. |
| The Chelyabinsk region, about 1,500km (930 miles) east of Moscow, is home to many factories, a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre. | The Chelyabinsk region, about 1,500km (930 miles) east of Moscow, is home to many factories, a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre. |
| One Russian politician said the event was not a meteor shower but a US weapons test, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. | One Russian politician said the event was not a meteor shower but a US weapons test, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. |
| Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, was quoted as saying: "Meteors are falling. Those are not meteors, it is Americans testing their new weapon." | Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, was quoted as saying: "Meteors are falling. Those are not meteors, it is Americans testing their new weapon." |
| 'Blinding' | 'Blinding' |
| Chelyabinsk's health department said 985 people had sought medical treatment, including 204 children, Interfax reported. Two people in the town of Kopeysk were in a serious condition, it added. | Chelyabinsk's health department said 985 people had sought medical treatment, including 204 children, Interfax reported. Two people in the town of Kopeysk were in a serious condition, it added. |
| The governor of Chelyabinsk region, Mikhail Yurevich, was quoted elsewhere as saying 950 people had been hurt, two seriously. | The governor of Chelyabinsk region, Mikhail Yurevich, was quoted elsewhere as saying 950 people had been hurt, two seriously. |
| Mr Putin promised "immediate" aid for people affected, saying kindergartens and schools had been damaged, and work disrupted at industrial enterprises. | Mr Putin promised "immediate" aid for people affected, saying kindergartens and schools had been damaged, and work disrupted at industrial enterprises. |
| Many children were at lessons when the meteor fell at around 09:20 (03:20 GMT). | Many children were at lessons when the meteor fell at around 09:20 (03:20 GMT). |
| Video posted online showed frightened, screaming youngsters at one Chelyabinsk school, where corridors were littered with broken glass. | Video posted online showed frightened, screaming youngsters at one Chelyabinsk school, where corridors were littered with broken glass. |
| Chelyabinsk resident Sergei Serskov told BBC News the city had felt like a "war zone" for 20 to 30 minutes. | Chelyabinsk resident Sergei Serskov told BBC News the city had felt like a "war zone" for 20 to 30 minutes. |
| "I was in the office when suddenly I saw a really bright flash in the window in front of me," he said. | "I was in the office when suddenly I saw a really bright flash in the window in front of me," he said. |
| "Then I smelt fumes. I looked out the window and saw a huge line of smoke, like you get from a plane but many times bigger." | "Then I smelt fumes. I looked out the window and saw a huge line of smoke, like you get from a plane but many times bigger." |
| "A few minutes later the window suddenly came open and there was a huge explosion, followed by lots of little explosions." | "A few minutes later the window suddenly came open and there was a huge explosion, followed by lots of little explosions." |
| In Yekaterinburg, 36-year-old resident Viktor Prokofiev was driving to work when he witnessed the event. | In Yekaterinburg, 36-year-old resident Viktor Prokofiev was driving to work when he witnessed the event. |
| "It was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it was day," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. | "It was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it was day," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. |
| "I felt like I was blinded by headlights." | "I felt like I was blinded by headlights." |
| Debris also reportedly fell on the west Siberian region of Tyumen. | Debris also reportedly fell on the west Siberian region of Tyumen. |
| Governor Yurevich reported that a meteorite had landed in a lake 1km outside Chebarkul, which has a population of 46,000. | |
| A Russian army spokesman said a crater 6m (20ft) wide had been found on the shore of the lake. | A Russian army spokesman said a crater 6m (20ft) wide had been found on the shore of the lake. |
| Asteroid coincidence | Asteroid coincidence |
| The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates that the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 54,000 km/h (33,000mph). | The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates that the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 54,000 km/h (33,000mph). |
| It would have shattered about 30-50km (18-32 miles) above ground, with most of the meteor burning up. | It would have shattered about 30-50km (18-32 miles) above ground, with most of the meteor burning up. |
| Scientists have played down suggestions that there is any link between the event in the Urals and 2012 DA14, an asteroid passing the Earth on Friday at a distance of just 27,700km (17,200 miles) - the closest ever predicted for an object of that size. | |
| Prof Alan Fitzsimmons, of the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen's University Belfast, said there was "almost definitely" no connection. | Prof Alan Fitzsimmons, of the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen's University Belfast, said there was "almost definitely" no connection. |
| "One reason is that 2012 DA14 is approaching Earth from the south, and this object hit in the northern hemisphere," he told BBC News. | "One reason is that 2012 DA14 is approaching Earth from the south, and this object hit in the northern hemisphere," he told BBC News. |
| "This is literally a cosmic coincidence, although a spectacular one." | "This is literally a cosmic coincidence, although a spectacular one." |
| Such meteor strikes are rare in Russia but one is thought to have devastated an area of more than 2,000 sq km (770 sq miles) in Siberia in 1908. |