Massachusetts Meteor Viral Video: NASA Says Meteor Blast Equal to 300 Tons of TNT Caused Massive Boom Over New England (Watch Video)

A powerful unexplained boom that rattled homes and shook buildings across Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island in the US on Saturday afternoon, May 30, has been linked to a meteor that exploded in the Earth's atmosphere, according to reports from NASA and meteorologists. The loud blast, heard across the Boston area and beyond, triggered widespread concern, prompting emergency calls and initial speculation about an earthquake or industrial explosion.

Authorities and scientists have since pointed to a meteor breakup as the most likely cause of the disturbance. Residents across New England reported hearing loud booms and feeling buildings shake shortly after 2 pm local time, while emergency services investigated reports from multiple communities. No injuries or damage directly linked to the incident have been reported. Meteor in US Videos: 7-Ton Asteroid Causes Sonic Boom Across Ohio, Pennsylvania.

Massachusetts Meteor Viral Video

WATCH: 3-foot wide meteor enters atmosphere near Massachusetts and New Hampshire border causing loud boom over Boston pic.twitter.com/rP1uJHIKTj

— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) May 31, 2026

Meteor Explosion Likely Cause of Mystery Boom

As reports flooded social media and emergency dispatch centers, officials worked to determine the source of the loud noise. Early theories included an earthquake, a gas explosion or military activity. However, evidence quickly began pointing toward an atmospheric event.

WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Eric Fisher said a meteor exploded off the coast of Massachusetts, causing the loud boom heard across the region. Satellite data reportedly detected a large flash over the South Shore near Boston at the time of the incident, despite no thunderstorms being active in the area. NASA later confirmed that a fireball was observed over New England. Philippines Meteor Viral Video: Rare Fireball Lights Up Sky Above Active Mayon Volcano, PHIVOLCS Releases Stunning Footage.

In a post on X, NASA said: "#MeteorSighting: Eyewitnesses in New England and @NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite reported a bright fireball on Saturday, May 30, at 2:06 p.m EDT accompanied by a loud noise. The meteor appears to have fragmented at an altitude of 40 miles over northeast MA and southeast NH. The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the loud noise."

NASA Says Meteor Blast Equal to 300 Tons of TNT Caused Massive Boom Over New England

#MeteorSighting: Eyewitnesses in New England and @NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite reported a bright fireball on Saturday, May 30, at 2:06 p.m EDT accompanied by a loud noise. The meteor appears to have fragmented at an altitude of 40 miles over northeast MA and southeast NH. The energy…

— NASA Space Alerts (@NASASpaceAlerts) May 30, 2026

According to NASA, the meteor entered the atmosphere at an extraordinary speed before breaking apart high above the region. The space agency said the object was travelling at approximately 75,000 miles per hour when it fragmented at an altitude of around 40 miles above northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire.

NASA's deputy news chief Jennifer Dooren told AFP: "This fireball was not associated with any currently active meteor shower, but it was a natural object and not a re-entry of space debris or a satellite." She added: "The energy released at breakup is estimated to be equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, which accounts for the loud booms."

NASA also stated: "It appears to have fragmented at an altitude of 40 miles above extreme northeast Massachusetts/southeast New Hampshire." The incident was felt across a wide area, with residents from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and neighboring regions reporting loud noises and shaking structures.

Several videos shared online appeared to capture the sounds of the event, though no fire, smoke or visible explosion was observed. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received reports from a broad area stretching from Delaware to Montreal.

AMS programme monitor Robert Lunsford said witnesses either heard the double boom, felt the ground shake or saw the fireball in the daytime sky. "It was definitely bigger than a normal fireball, about a yard wide," Lunsford said. The AMS estimated the meteor was approximately 3 feet (nearly 1 metre) wide before breaking apart.

The shaking initially led some residents to believe an earthquake had occurred. However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported no seismic activity in the Boston area at the time of the incident, effectively ruling out an earthquake as the source of the boom.

While the USGS recorded two small magnitude-1.8 earthquakes in South Carolina on Friday evening, officials said those events were unrelated and far too distant to have caused the disturbance felt in New England. Several residents submitted reports of shaking to the National Earthquake Information Center, but investigators found no evidence of a local earthquake.

Authorities continue to gather eyewitness accounts and satellite observations, although experts say the meteor explanation is strongly supported by the available evidence. Scientists note that large meteors can create powerful sonic booms when they fragment in the atmosphere, generating shockwaves that can be heard and felt over large distances.

While the incident briefly sparked concern across the region, officials have reported no injuries, no impact site and no evidence that the meteor reached the ground.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 31, 2026 10:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).