Sonic boom panics citizens of Kohima, India

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Kohima, India

    

With the current law and order in the state in shambles, what with frequent bomb blasts and firing in public places leading to murder and damage of properties, a sudden loud 'boom' at noon on Tuesday created panic among denizens of the state's capital town.

The boom was loud and clear, for a few seconds past mid-day following which people were alarmed and calls to one another began. The commotion led to creation of more confusion with some people saying it was a bomb blast outside the Secretariat, while others said it happened at the High School junction. There still were some more who said another blast had occurred at Lerie colony. The colony was the scene of a string of explosions earlier.

However, police officials confirmed that the sound was merely a sonic boom and not a bomb explosion, which was even heard in Wokha and Dimapur district.

It may be mentioned here that a sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created by an object traveling through the air faster than the speed of sound - in this case planes particularly jet fighters. Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion. The crack of a supersonic bullet passing overhead is a miniature example of a sonic boom.