Sonic boom from suspected meteor rattles New England

A loud boom and shaking reported across parts of New England were caused by a widely felt sonic boom from a suspected bolide, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The event happened at about 2:05 p.m., when people across parts of eastern Massachusetts and neighboring areas reported an audible boom and tremors.

The USGS said the event was not an earthquake but a sonic boom from a suspected bolide, a bright meteor or fireball that explodes or breaks apart in the atmosphere.

Hundreds of felt reports were submitted to the USGS, including from Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. The agency placed the approximate location just north of Boston, near the border with Vermont.

NOAA’s GOES satellite showed a large flash near Massachusetts Bay, likely from the meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere, WJAR reported.

Vehicle and home security cameras captured the event, with one video showing a bright flash as a loud boom shook objects.

“Although we do not yet know the cause, there are no known emergency police or fire requests connected to these reports and we do not believe there is any public safety threat,” the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security said earlier in the afternoon.

Massachusetts officials said they remained in contact with local, state and federal partners to monitor any impact.