Russia: meteor explosion injures nearly 1000 - amazing video

If you've seen any news today, you're probably already aware of the meteor that exploded over the Ural Mountains this morning. At around 9:20 A.M. local time, a 10 ton rock entered the Earth's atmosphere at estimated speed 33,000 miles per hour. It exploded about thirty miles above the surface.

As it shattered, it released the energy of a several kiloton atomic bomb, sending out a shockwave which has injured close to 1,000 people. The majority of the damage occurred in Chelyabinsk, a city east of Moscow which boasts a population just north of a million people. City officials are reporting damage to 3,000 buildings, most of which experienced broken windows. Over a million square feet of glass was destroyed by the impact, and the resulting shrapnel is thought to be the predominant cause of injury. Here's the most impressive video we could find, via Russia Today.

This video is no longer available.

This clip was shot by closed-circuit security cameras and shows the shockwave hitting an office building.

This video is no longer available.

Here's a Russia Today broadcast, which suggests that this is "probably not the kind of surprise you want to see on your way to work on Friday morning." Gee, ya think?

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