On June 30, 1908 near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, an explosion of massive proportions occurred. This wasn't just any blast; this explosion is what is known as the Tunguska Event, the loudest single impact event on or near Earth in recorded history.
The Tunguska Event was most likely caused by the airburst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment at an altitude of 5 to 10 kilometers (3–6 mi) above Earth's surface. Even though the meteor burst in the air, it is classified as an impact.
The explosion knocked down approximately 80 million trees over an area of 2,150 square kilometers (830 sq mi). Scientists believe a shock wave from the blast would have measured 5.0 on the Richter scale. Fatalities were non-existent due to the event occurring in such a remote area, however, if it had happened in a city, it would have caused incalculable damage.
How loud was it? Scientists have estimated the blast to be equivalent to 10 to 15 megatons of TNT. That's about a 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
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