Update: On this other article, a very similar report is provided. However, an important detail is added, given that previously, nobody claimed having seen any "lights":
"A local farmer riding his horse at that time later called the radio channel El Trébol and gave his testimony. He said that from the field, he was able to see a blinding light coming from the sky, and right after he heard the explosion."
A loud explosion was heard and strong tremors were felt today in at least seven towns in the center and West of Santa Fe province, Argentina. "We heard an explosion and windows shook", said witnesses in Cañada de Gómez. The Astronomical Observatory affirmed that it had been "a fireball which disintegrated in the air". There were no reports of wounded victims or damages.
© Desconocido
Last year's meteorite fall in Chyelabinsk, Russia. An unforgettable event.
Last year's meteorite fall in Chyelabinsk, Russia. An unforgettable event.
According to the earliest reports, it was first heard in Cañada de Gómez, San Martín de las Escobas, Sastre, María Susana, El Trébol, Montes de Oca y Las Parejas.
What happened? "We heard a big explosion, the windows shook, but the fact is that we don't know anything and we didn't receive calls reporting any wounded or anything like that", replied the officers at the Civil Protection Department in Cañada de Gómez to Rosario3.com.
In Sastre, the response was similar: "Something happened, but we don't know anything", was the reply from the town hall. Shortly after 11a.m., the news became a hot topic on Twitter. Many agreed that it had been "a meteorite".
Later in the day, the Director of Santa Fe's Astronomical Observatory, Jorge Coghlan, explained during an interview with radio show "De 12 a 14" that it had been a fireball that disintegrated in the atmosphere, ending with an explosion, which was what people heard." T added: "Bolides are bigger than meteors. They tend to be more sporadic and less numerous."
"This took place at about 60km (37 miles) of altitude. It is a space rock that gradually slows down in the atmosphere; the altitude is what enabled it to be heard over such a wide radius, of more than 40 km (24.8 miles).
Emergency Services were activated.
Marcos Escajadillo, Chief of the Civil Protection Unit for this province, specified for "De 12 a 14" radio interview that the phenomenon had been recorded after 9.30 a.m.
He also pointed out that, "given the sounds' characteristics, all emergency and communication systems were activated."
Finally, he advised people to wait for a report from the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (National Commision for Space Activities), even though initially "there [were] no reports of any kind regarding a possible impact in the ground, and everybody only describes an overhead explosion."
An asteroid was passing close to Earth
Astronomers informed the public that an asteroid the size of three football fields was supposed to travel close to our planet. Named 2000 EM26, this body is approximately 270 meters (0.17 miles) in diameter, and travels at a speed of 12.7 km (7.89 miles) per hour.
"Scientists deny that this asteroid may present any threat to Earth, because the closest point in its trajectory is of a distance equivalent to 8.8 times the distance between our planet and the moon,", stated another report.
From the Astronomical Observatory, the phenomenon recorded in Santa Fe was considered to "not have any relationship" with Nasa's announcement of the close passing body.
2000 EM26 was supposed to have passed by a 9:00 EST.
12.5 hours later (or earlier?), Jr. 2000 EM26 pops over Argentina.
"From the Astronomical Observatory, the phenomenon recorded in Santa Fe was considered to "not have any relationship" with Nasa's announcement of the close passing body. "
Which is exactly what they said about Chelyabinsk and DA14, until an amateur astronomer calculated the orbits backwards and found that the Chelyabinsk bolide once shared the same space as DA14.
Don't worry, you're in good hands with ... oops!