On Sunday, social media was buzzing with questions about whether someone had seen a meteorite. Residents from Jeffreys Bay and Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, as well as those from George and other regions of the Western Cape, shared photos and videos of the passing meteorite.
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They reported hearing what sounded like a powerful explosion.
A meteorite is a rock that formed in outer space and fell on the surface of a planet or moon, or flew by spectacularly.
Meteorite hitting Porr Elizabeth this morning just after 9am. Explosion and tremor felt up to Knysna. Almost 200 km. Just wondering if the impact on the ocean didn’t create a tsunami. Weird stuff pic.twitter.com/S3ISNCjZgw
— furrrball (@furrrball1) August 25, 2024
According to reports, the meteorite, which emitted a few flashes of light, plunged into the ocean.
Some users reported picking up pieces of the meteorite that landed nearby.
According to Weather Guru, a Facebook group maintained by Garth Sampson, a former South African Weather Service official, the event was not an earthquake.
Residents in Mossel Bay reported hearing two loud banging noises this morning, as did another homeowner in Great Brak.
‘My rainfall group in the Langkloof started reporting what sounded like an earthquake. Later reports came through of what seems to look like a meteor or satellite,’ Weather Guru said. ‘It apparently hit in the Patensie area.’
He stated that a video had been circulated across several groups and was given to Weather Guru by Tsitsikamaboertjie from Assagaaibosch.
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The St Francis Chronicle stated that eyewitnesses in the Oyster Bay area saw a burst of blue light.
According to the article, a whaleboat crew member claimed that the meteorite landed into the sea about 200 metres from the whaleboat.
It is believed that the meteor event produced several meteorites the form part of the HED group meteorite from the Asteroid 4 Vesta.
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Picture: Screenshot / @CaptMylo / X
