Three years ago, while everyone else on the planet including NASA, is paying attention to asteroid 2012 DA14 that flew past Earth at only 17,200 miles above our planet's surface during lunch time, the Russia’s Urals region have been rocked by a meteorite explosion in the stratosphere. The impact wave damaged several buildings, and blew out thousands of windows amid frigid winter weather. Hundreds were seeking medical attention for minor injuries.

(2013) The Russian Academy of Sciences is estimating the meteor that streaked into the skies over the Ural Mountains and caused shock waves that injured more than 400 people weighed about 10 tons (11 tons avoirdupois). The academy said in a statement hours after the Friday morning fall that the meteor entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 54,000 kph (33,000 mph) and shattered about 30-50 kilometers (18-32 miles) above ground.

The fall caused explosions that broke glass over a wide are with the Emergency Ministry reporting more than 500 people sought treatment after the blasts, 34 of them had to be hospitalized hospitalized.

“There was panic. People had no idea what was happening” -Sergey Hamatov, Witnessed Meteor Strike

"There was panic. People had no idea what was happening. Everyone was going around to people's houses to check if they were OK," said Sergey Hametov, a resident of Chelyabinsk, about 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow, the biggest city in the affected region.

Watch the news report:

Fore more photos of the damage, click here.

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