Loud boom rocks part of Massachusetts
State officials said they do not believe there is any public safety threat.
Massachusetts residents were rocked Saturday after a mysterious loud boom was heard in parts of the state.
Several people took to social media in the afternoon to post videos of the sound heard throughout the eastern part of the state.
"We are getting numerous reports from residents of hearing a loud boom sound. It was heard over the eastern part of the state. Unknown origin no reports of hazards at this time," the Watertown Police Department said in a statement.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security said in a statement they also received similar reports of "an audible boom and ground tremors."
The agency said: "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. We remain in contact with our local, state, and federal partners to monitor any impact and understand the cause when it becomes available."
The United States Geological Survey said Saturday evening that the boom was from a suspected bolide, which is the scientific term for a meteor that explodes in the atmosphere.
"Unlike earthquakes which occur at discrete location in the earth, sonic boom events occur along a linear path in the atmosphere," the USGS said.