[meteorite-list] Meteor Dazzles Indians

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:30:01 2004
Message-ID: <200309292007.NAA19145_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3149404.stm

Meteor dazzles Indians
BBC News
September 29, 2003

Officials investigating a meteorite that crashed in eastern
India say it was part of the most spectacular meteor shower
in the country's recent history.

Flaming debris from the space rock lit up the sky in
Orissa state on Saturday night, and sent villagers
running after its burning fragments set fire to their
houses.

"I have never seen a meteor covering such a large area
with a huge fireball and roaring sound," said Basant
Kumar Mohanty, senior director of the Geological
Survey of India.

According to state authorities, two large fragments
of the meteorite, weighing roughly five kilograms
each, have been recovered.

Shock

Meanwhile, locals in Orissa have been describing
what they saw.

"I first mistook it for... a crashing aircraft, when I
saw the huge fireball with so much bright light,"
said Bandita Das, a housewife.

"For about 10 seconds, the evening on Saturday got
lighted up. I panicked and took my kids inside the
house."

Bishwa Bhushan Harichandan, a minister in Orissa's state
government, told the BBC the fireball was seen by people
in "seven to eight districts, covering about 14,000 to
15,000 square kilometres".

He said only three people had been injured as a result
of the meteorite falling to earth. Earlier reports
said at least 20 people had been hurt.

An old man receiving treatment in hospital is also
reported to have died of shock on seeing the meteor.

The people of Orissa are familiar with cyclones and
floods, and according to correspondents, they feel
Saturday's meteor shower has added a new threat to
their lives.

Scientists say, however, the risk of being killed by a
falling meteorite is not worth worrying about.
Received on Mon 29 Sep 2003 04:07:44 PM PDT