KUALA LUMPUR:The loud explosion heard by many in Sabah on Sunday was due to a phenomenon of a fireball entering the earth's airspace.
This was confirmed by the International Meteor Organisation (IMO) in a report released on its website recently under event code 632-2021.
National Planetarium deputy director (Observation) Zamri Shah Mastor said the event was recorded at 11.04 am on Sunday (Jan 31).
He said they received five reports, two from Sabah and three from Brunei.
He added that the position of the fireball, when it occurred, was in Papar, Sabah and the Muara district in Brunei, near the South China Sea.
"It has been confirmed by the IMO. I am confident that the video, shot in Sabah, confirmed that the event was actually a fireball phenomenon. It is like a meteor but way bigger.
"Meteors are more delicate, but the fireball is bigger and can be seen during the day as well. It can be as bright as a half-moon or a full moon," he told Bernama TV when contacted.
According to him, through reports received by the IMO, a total of 57 such incidents had been recorded since last month.
The latest, in a district in Bali, Indonesia, occurred last month.
"The phenomenon is called a fireball. It is a rock from outer space rubbing against the earth's atmosphere and the heat causes it to burn. It either explodes in the air or falls to the earth's surface.
"We think some of the fragments entered the earth's airspace while some were scorched in the galaxy," he said.
Asked about the probability of damage caused by a fireball, he said, it depends on the size that enters the earth's airspace.
If it is too big, it will produce a sonic boom or a loud explosion, similar to what occurred in Sabah.
However, he said, until now there have been no reports of damage or impact from the incident.
Residents around Beaufort, Sipitang, Kuala Penyu and Labuan were shaken by the sound of a loud explosion and a five to six-second tremor at about 11 am last Sunday.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Feb 03 2021
Residents around Beaufort, Sipitang, Kuala Penyu and Labuan were shaken by the sound of a loud explosion and a five to six-second tremor at about 11 am last Sunday.
Piala Dunia Sepak Takraw: Malaysia mudah tewaskan India, mara ke separuh akhir
Malaysia menepati ramalan mara ke peringkat separuh akhir acara berpasukan selepas mengetepikan cabaran India pada aksi suku akhir kejohanan Piala Dunia Sepak Takraw 2024.
Imigresen tumpas aktiviti pelacuran, tahan 51 warga asing
Jabatan Imigresen menahan 51 warga asing di sebuah pusat pelacuran dalam operasi khas di Jalan Pasar Baru, Kuala Lumpur pada Khamis.
Orang muda Malaysia perlu lantang bersuara bagi Palestin
Justeru, mengambil contoh langkah dilakukan mahasiswa di Amerika Syarikat, Ahli Majlis Hubungan Antarabangsa Palestin Dr Abdullah Waleed menyeru orang muda di Malaysia melakukan langkah yang sama, menyeru dunia memandang isu pembunuhan beramai-ramai di Gaza, sebagai sebuah krisis kemanusiaan.
Gudang bantuan di Gaza kini kosong
Ahli Majlis Hubungan Antarabangsa Palestin, Dr Abdullah Waleed berkata susulan halangan bantuan memasuki radah, tiada bantuan boleh memasuki bumi Gaza.
Korban rakyat Palestin meningkat kepada 35,857 orang
Angka korban rakyat Palestin meningkat kepada 35,857 dan 80,293 yang lain cedera menurut Kementerian Kesihatan Palestin.
AWANI Ringkas: Faisal Halim dibenar pulang hari ini atau esok
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kerajaan bentang RUU Suruhanjaya Gig Julai ini - Anwar
Kerajaan akan membentangkan rang undang-undang berkaitan Suruhanjaya Gig di Parlimen pada Julai ini, kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
3 bilik pembedahan di Pusat Jantung Serdang mula beroperasi Jun - Dr Dzulkefly
Sebanyak tiga daripada empat bilik pembedahan di Pusat Jantung Serdang (PJS), Selangor akan mula beroperasi untuk kegunaan pembedahan elektif dan kecemasan pada bulan hadapan (Jun).
Agong berkenan rasmi Hari Landskap Negara 2024
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim hari ini berkenan berangkat menyempurnakan perasmian Sambutan Hari Landskap Negara (HLN) 2024 di Taman Tasik Shah Alam di sini.
Ahmad Zahid tiba di Shanghai, teruskan lawatan rasmi di China
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tiba di sini hari ini, bagi meneruskan lawatan rasminya ke China yang bermula 22 Mei hingga 1 Jun.
Mahu bergembira? Di Nigeria ada 'Menteri Kegembiraan'
Perkara itu diumumkan governornya, Rochas Okorocha, ketika upacara angkat sumpah 26 pesuruhjaya lain.