Meteor lights up the sky over Libya

A bright object crossed the sky over Tripoli, Libya, followed by a loud explosion resembling thunder that caused panic and sparked speculation on social media.

The Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences confirmed that the object was a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere and burning at high speed.

The phenomenon was also observed in areas surrounding the capital and was accompanied by a loud sound similar to thunder.

Authorities reported no victims, damage or evidence that the meteor reached the ground.