If 2024 YR4 collides with Earth in 2032, it could land anywhere within a narrow band stretching from the northern part of South America to the Pacific Ocean, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.
Washington: Scientists worldwide are alarmed as an asteroid, designated 2024 YR4, hurtles toward Earth at a staggering speed of approximately 60,000 km/h. Reports indicate that the asteroid has the potential to devastate even the largest cities. NASA scientists have estimated where this asteroid might crash. David Rankin, an engineer from the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey project, has created a risk map based on the asteroid’s current trajectory.
What Will Happen If 2024 YR4 Collides with Earth?
If 2024 YR4 collides with Earth in 2032, it could land anywhere within a narrow band stretching from the northern part of South America to the Pacific Ocean, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. The concerning part is that this region includes densely populated areas such as Chennai in India and Hainan Island in China. This asteroid could impact Earth on December 22, 2032.
According to the NASA, the probability of impact is 1 in 48. The asteroid has a diameter of 90 meters, which is roughly the size of the Statue of Liberty in the United States. A significant portion of the proposed corridor is over the ocean. However, if it falls in a populated area, it could cause massive destruction.
All You Need To Know:
- If 2024 YR4 collides with Earth in 2032, it could land anywhere within a narrow band stretching from the northern part of South America to the Pacific Ocean, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.
- The asteroid has a diameter of 90 meters, which is roughly the size of the Statue of Liberty in the United States.
- Experts say that if this asteroid collides with Earth, it could cause an explosion of 8 megatons of TNT, which is 500 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
- Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first discovered in December 2024, but it quickly moved up the list of the most dangerous asteroids monitored by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
- Currently, it is the only large asteroid with more than a 1% chance of impacting Earth.
Which countries are at risk?
Countries in the risk corridor, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, are under threat. The impact will depend on the intensity, as the areas at the end of the corridor are likely to experience only mild tremors.
