Meteorite explosion in Nicaragua's capital Managua
Mysterious meteorite strikes Nicaragua's capital Managua Reuters

A mysterious explosion that rocked Nicaragua's crowded capital Managua, creating a large crater, is reportedly caused by a small meteorite.

Government scientists confirmed that the mysterious boom heard overnight by residents on Saturday was caused by a small meteorite.

According to Reuters, the meteorite made a 40-feet-wide crater in a wooded area near the city's airport.

Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo confirmed it was a "relatively small" meteorite that "appears to have come off an asteroid that was passing close to Earth," reported OneNews.

Wilfried Strauch from the Nicaraguan Institute of Earth Studies (Ineter) said Nicaragua will seek help from United States experts to investigate the event and get to the bottom of it, according to Reuters.

Jose Millan, also from Ineter, said that all the evidence they have confirm that the on-site explosion was a meteorite hitting the earth.

"Firstly, we have the seismic register which coincides with the time of impact, and the typical characteristic that it produces a cone in the place of impact," he said.

Strauch said they had not been able to determine the composition of the supposed meteorite as they were not sure whether it had disintegrated on hitting the ground or if it remained buried.

"We need to celebrate the fact that it fell in an area where, thank God, it didn't cause any danger to the population," Millan said.

Nicaragua is home to more than 20 volcanoes and is an active seismic area. It comes as no surprise that many locals initially thought an earthquake had caused the bang.