[WATCH] Panic in Central Russia hit by meteor shower in Ural region

Brightly burning rocks could be seen for hundreds of kilometres as they crashed into the Ural region.

Chelyabinsk residents reported shaking ground, windows being shattered and car alarms being set off during the shower.

The traces from falling objects could be seen in Yekaterinburg, about 200km (125 miles) south-east of Chelyabinsk, a witness told the Reuters news agency.

"A meteorite exploded above the Chelyabinsk region," an emergencies ministry spokesman told Interfax.

A witness in Chelyabinsk told Reuters that a huge blast was heard early on Friday morning and that shockwaves were felt in a 19-storey building in the town centre.

The Interfax news agency said that preliminary reports indicated that four people were injured by flying glass.

People in the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions reported seeing "burning objects" in the sky.