Locals in the remote Yakutia region of Russia witnessed a comet-like fireball falling to Earth early on December 4, according to a Reuters report, which cited an official statement and reports from scientists about the phenomenon.

The asteroid, which burned the atmosphere and lit up the sky, was visible to residents of Lensk and Olekminsk districts in Russia’s remote Yakutia region to the east.

A statement from the region’s Emergency Management Ministry said all officials had been put on alert because of the asteroid, but no damage was reported after the crash, according to Reuters.

“A Comet and a Lightning”

“Residents of Olekminsk and Lensk districts were able to observe a comet-like tail and a flash during the night,” the ministry statement said.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the asteroid was believed to have been 70 cm in diameter and was spotted 12 hours before it appeared in the sky. In a post on social media platform

“Thanks to observations from astronomers around the world, our warning system was able to predict this impact with up to 10 seconds accuracy,” the agency said.

New Scientist magazine quoted astronomer Alan Fitzsimmons of Queen’s University, Belfast, as saying the asteroid was “a small but still quite spectacular, visible for hundreds of kilometers” before the fireball appeared.

Social media is teeming with eyewitness videos

Internet users were abuzz on social media platforms, with several accounts posting eyewitness videos of the spectacle on X.

One user simply wrote “#Asteroid”; while another marveled at the prospect, writing: “And in case this week wasn’t eventful enough for you, here’s a meteor landing in Yakutia” (sic).

Check out the various videos captured by surveillance cameras or by space enthusiasts and locals.

(With inputs from Reuters)