Meteor Hits Russia Injuring Hundreds of People [VIDEO]

A meteor streaked across the sky in Central Russia this morning, causing sharp explosions that blew the glass out of buildings and injured more than 520 people, including 82 children.  The BBC reports at least 11 people required hospitalization.

Panicked residents reported seeing a bright light streak across the sky accompanied by deafening explosions.  Officials say the large meteor hurtled towards Earth at 33,000 mph, creating sonic booms and leaving trails of white and yellow smoke as it shattered in the lower atmosphere. The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates that the space rock weighed about 10 tons. Check out this video:

Fragments of the meteor landed in a reservoir outside the town of Cherbaku, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency. It was not immediately known if any people were struck by fragments of rock.

Thousands of rescue workers have been dispatched to the area in the Ural Mountains to provide help to the injured.

Experts say it was just a coincidence that the meteor struck on the same day as another giant asteroid is predicted to fly past earth at a distance of 17,200 miles.

Stay tuned for more updates.