Tunguska: One Blast. 80 Million Trees. No Crater.Episode 21:32
The Herders Thrown From Their Tents
Closer to the explosion, sleeping families, camps and reindeer herds absorb the blast at terrifying range.
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Transcript
A herder was blown into a tree—and later died.
June 30th, 1908, above one of Siberia's remotest areas.
At 7:15 a.m., Evenki witnesses described a smoke-trailing fireball explode.
The closest observers were probably reindeer herders in camps 19 miles, or 30 kilometers away.
Herders 19 miles, or 30 kilometers away, described burning forest and many reindeer lost.
Some survivors were knocked unconscious; nearby windows broke and crockery fell from shelves.
Many campsites and storage huts scattered in the area were destroyed.
When herders regained consciousness, surrounding forest was burning and heavily devastated.
Hundreds of herders' reindeer were killed around the general area near ground zero.
Many reindeer rushed away and were lost, eyewitness accounts reported.
Herders said a tent was blown into the air with its occupants inside.
The region's low population density meant very few human casualties resulted.
The fires and falling trees extended for miles through the taiga.
Later surveys mapped millions of fallen trees across 830 square miles of destruction.
The zone formed a butterfly shape. Investigators searched beneath it for a crater and found none.
At around 37 miles, or 60 kilometers, people were thrown down; a witness described fire brighter than the Sun.
Where it leaves off
But sixty kilometers away, another witness was about to face a fire brighter than the Sun.
Sources
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