Cape Town and its far surrounds were buzzing with the reported startling sight of a massive streak of light that flashed across the evening sky on Wednesday at between 8.10pm and 8.30pm, depending on who you ask.

It was apparently then followed by the sound of an explosion, which some said sounded like a gas bottle exploding.

https://twitter.com/Thats_Loveleigh/status/1085624452673691656

People from all over the Cape, from Hermanus to Franschhoek, Cape Town and all the way to the Swartland, have been talking about the “massive flash of flight” that appeared suddenly in the twilight sky.

One person caught evidence of it reflected in his pool on CCTV.

https://twitter.com/dave_apter/status/1085612653408604162

Saw it in Hermanus, followed by a loud bang that shook my flat. Speculation about a meteorite. — Byron (@We_Are_Byron) January 16, 2019

Anyone in the #Hermanus or #Onrus area see or hear an explosion that was possibly a #meteorite at around 20h30? #CapeTown pic.twitter.com/UnKBeK5aXS — Nathan Krumm (@NathanKrumm) January 16, 2019

https://twitter.com/CarlaKatjie/status/1085609718972928000

Many people speculated that it must have been a far bigger than usual meteorite breaking up and burning to particles in the earth’s atmosphere.

It’s not known whether any part of the object made it intact to the earth’s surface, which would be an exceedingly rare event.

Did anyone see the incandescent flash of light about 8:15pm over Cape Town? #meteorite #CapeTown — Hesketh Jemima Tolson (@HeskethTolson) January 16, 2019

Fortunately everyone in the fairest Cape seems to have survived the cosmic scare.

Hey @SANSA7, any idea if there was a meteorite/asteroid landing in the Overberg this evening? — Byron (@We_Are_Byron) January 16, 2019

It looked like a meteorite — Vice_Queen (@Vice_Queen) January 16, 2019

Jeez, must've been a meteorite… Wow… — Andre Bakkes (@andrebakkes) January 16, 2019

#Hermanus is not boring! Protest action, fire inferno and now a #meteorite ! My social media intelligence report tells me it broke in two. — Päivi Brink ???????????????? (@PaiviBrink) January 16, 2019

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.