Tunguska 1908 atmospheric blast devastated 800 square miles of Siberian forest. Tunguska event occurred June 30, 1908 over Siberia Object estimated at 140-150 feet in diameter exploded approximately 5 miles up in the atmosphere as an airburst, not a ground impact Utterly decimated over 800 square miles (2,000+ square km) of dense old-growth taiga forest south of the latitudinal tree line
On June 30, 1908, a 140-150 foot object exploded about 5 miles above Siberia in a massive airburst, flattening over 800 square miles of old-growth taiga forest. The blast registered as a 5.5 magnitude earthquake and sent pressure waves around the globe twice in 11 hours, releasing ~15 megatons.
Key Facts
- Tunguska event occurred June 30, 1908 over Siberia
- Object estimated at 140-150 feet in diameter exploded approximately 5 miles up in the atmosphere as an airburst, not a ground impact
- Utterly decimated over 800 square miles (2,000+ square km) of dense old-growth taiga forest south of the latitudinal tree line
- Fire plume incinerated a couple hundred square miles at the epicenter; trees outside were knocked down radially by the pressure pulse
- Seismometers registered a 5.5-5.6 magnitude earthquake accompanying the blast
- Barographs in Britain recorded the pressure wave passing around the planet twice within 11 hours
- Estimated energy of the explosion was about 15 megatons
Source: THE ASTROID EPISODE: The Dangers and Opportunities by The Randall Carlson