Loud 'boom' may have been caused by meteor
A SUSPECTED asteroid caused panic across parts of Devon and Cornwall after a sonic boom and tremor hit residents.
People inundated police with calls saying they had experienced the bizarre phenomenon.
Officers from across the region said they received reports of people hearing loud bangs and buildings shaking from about 4:15pm on Thursday.
The British Geological Survey said it had no evidence of a tremor, but added it could have been a sonic boom from a meteor falling to earth.
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Police said the calls were fairly widespread, coming in from Harrowbarrow in south east Cornwall, as well as the South Hams and Teignbridge areas of south Devon, the Tamar Valley and Dartmoor.
Insp Gareth Twigg, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "The first calls reported sounds like an explosion. Further calls also described noise and then objects shaking.
"One lady on Dartmoor who was alive during World War II said it was like a bomb going off.
"We checked with the British Geological Survey to ask if it was because of a tremor, but they said it may have been caused by something a little more spectacular - possibly a sonic boom from a meteorite as it caused pressure changes in the atmosphere while falling.
"It appears nothing has struck the earth that has caused any damage or injury.
"We're waiting to hear if we get anything back from local scientists."
Comments
by robocop1982
Thursday, October 25 2012, 12:45AM
“IT was that same aircraft captain ray bowyer encountered”
by Nevman
Monday, October 22 2012, 11:00PM
“If I wanted to be rude, I'd be rude. Pointing out that your link doesn't actually refer to any noise or tremors is simply stating a fact. Something about pots and kettles springs to mind.”
by AModernPhoeni
Monday, October 22 2012, 9:09PM
“I live in America, in NJ and I felt it at the same time (11:15am our time). So did hundreds of others. Look it up. Next time you want to be rude, take a second to do a little research.”
by AModernPhoeni
Monday, October 22 2012, 9:07PM
“I live in America and I felt it at 11:15am, as did many other people. Do a Google search”
by Nevman
Monday, October 22 2012, 5:10PM
“Where in that report does it say that the boom was felt on both sides of the Atlantic? It doesn't. It might have registered briefly on seismographs, but that's a long way from it being audible on the other side of the world.”
by AModernPhoeni
Monday, October 22 2012, 1:21AM
“It could also have been caused by the Russian nuclear tests that were conducted on Thursday and Friday. The boom was felt on both sides of the Atlantic.
http://tinyurl.com/9erbaex”