Residents across parts of the northeastern United States were startled Saturday afternoon when a meteor exploded high above the region, producing a powerful shockwave that rattled homes and triggered widespread reports of loud booms.

NASA said the meteor broke apart in the atmosphere, generating an acoustic blast that was heard across several states. According to the agency, the energy released by the explosion was roughly equivalent to 300 tons of TNT.

The event occurred shortly after 2 p.m. local time in the skies above an area spanning northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire.

Jennifer Dooren, NASA’s deputy news chief, confirmed the nature of the phenomenon in comments to AFP and stressed that it was not connected to any man-made object.

“This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower, but it was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite,” Dooren explained. “The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the loud booms.”

Before breaking apart, the meteor was traveling through Earth’s atmosphere at approximately 75,000 miles per hour. NASA said the explosion took place at an altitude of about 40 miles above the ground.

The sudden blast left many residents confused and concerned as the sound echoed across communities throughout the region. Social media quickly filled with reports from people describing thunderous noises and vibrations strong enough to shake houses and windows.

Many initially believed the sounds were caused by an earthquake, explosion, or military activity before officials confirmed that the source was a meteor disintegrating high above the Northeast.

{Matzav.com}