Video Captures Loud Boom As Possible Meteorite Hits City In Texas

An investigation has been launched in south Texas after people living in the area reported an explosion that shook their homes. Cesar Torres, the chief of the local police unit in Texas' Mission, told USA Today that they received a number of phone calls at around 5.30pm on Thursday with people describing a large explosion and homes shaking. The police said there had been no injuries or property damage. The outlet further said that the incident was caused by a suspected meteorite that crashed into Texas this week.

"It created panic throughout the city," Mr Torres said, adding that other area law enforcement agencies also received similar calls.

A home security camera captured the moment the boom happened. It was so loud that it startled birds and shook the camera.

You can hear the meteorite explosion #Mcallen #Mission pic.twitter.com/W2Eb1Yci5o

— marcos (@disdikmark) February 16, 2023

Space agency NASA told USA Today that its experts believe the explosion was caused by a meteorite about two feet in diametre weighing about 1,000 pounds.

"The angle and speed of entry, along with signatures in weather radar imagery, are consistent with other naturally occurring meteorite falls," NASA said, as per the outlet. "Radar and other data indicate that meteorites did reach the ground from this event."

The space rock landed in McAllen, the town near Texas' border with Mexico. Officials are looking for the exact spot where it landed.

The Alton Police Department, about 18 kilometres from McAllen, said on Facebook that Houston Air Traffic Control received reports from two aircraft that saw a meteorite west of McAllen.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Brownsville said in a tweet that it used a satellite tool to measure lightening, which detected a signal at 5.23pm. It added that the object appears to be a meteorite.

As per NASA, meteorites are rocks from space that enter the Earth's atmosphere and hit the ground.