- Title: NICARAGUA: Experts raise doubts about Nicaragua meteorite reports
- Date: 10th September 2014
- Summary: FRONT PAGE OF NEWSPAPER THAT READS "NASA DOUBTS METEORITE"
- Embargoed: 25th September 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nicaragua
- Country: Nicaragua
- Topics: Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVACCV975G77ALYKCYHK0UKHZBBG
- Story Text: NASA has cast doubt on whether a mysterious late-night blast in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua on Saturday (September 06) could be from a meteorite as officials claimed, with no reports from civilians of a streak or fireball across the sky that night.
The loud explosion occurred around 11 p.m. local time on Saturday (September 06) on the outskirts of Managua near the airport. No one was injured but locals reported hearing a big sound as if something had crashed down to Earth.
"I felt as if a plane had fallen, a tremendous thunder. It gave me chills to see this, I've never seen this and I felt as if my house was going to come down," said resident, Marcia Carrillo.
The impact in a wooded area of Managua left a crater measuring some 12 metres (39 feet) but from the capital's 1.5 million residents no one has yet come forward with eyewitness reports of seeing a streak of light in the night sky.
"It wasn't seen, there isn't a video, there isn't any recorded information or a photo that's been seen of a ball of fire. So it's controversial, nothing falling from the sky was seen," said David Castillo Pacheco of the Scientific Association of Astronomers in Managua.
Experts at NASA have expressed doubts of a meteorite, saying witnesses would have seen a fireball in the clear, night sky and that the timing of the alleged meteorite and an asteroid that was passing by Earth are off.
"It's particularly striking because usually with the impact of the meteorite the surrounding area is burnt, normally completely burnt on the edges and the earth where the impact happened is compacted. According to the images seen there (site of impact) this is not seen or that this may not be a meteorite," added Castillo Pacheco.
Nicaragua has called on experts from around the world to help investigate the event, which was picked up by seismic sensors.
"That the investigation, the search continues and let the experts from other countries who want to come come to do their research work because it's good for us, because as Dr Jaime Incer said, a small country like ours this is an event and we welcome and celebrate an event like this," said Nicaraguan First Lady, Rosario Murillo.
Nicaragua has more than 20 volcanoes and is regularly shaken by earthquakes, so many locals had initially thought a quake caused the loud bang. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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