Connected events? Gas explosion rocks Sochi, Russia, site of 2014 Olympics, followed by 5.3 magnitude earthquake

Houston MitchellLA Times

© Mikhail Modasov/AFP/Getty Images
 A view of the construction site of Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia.

 

It was a scary day if you were living in Sochi, Russia, on Wednesday. During the early morning hours, a gas pipeline that feeds a local power station exploded, then in an unrelated incident later in the morning, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocked the city.

Sochi is to be host of the 2014 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 7-23.

There were no reported injuries from either incident.

Russia President Vladimir Putin ordered authorities to inspect Olympic sites, particularly those under construction, to ensure that there was no damage.

"Emergencies Ministry servicemen scoured through the city districts, but there was no damage," according to Irina Gogoleva of Russia's Emergencies Ministry.

Gogoleva said the reason for the explosion is unknown.

Comment: Interestingly, there was a fireball sighting, which may or may not have actually plunged into the Black Sea, just ten days ago:

Fireball plunges off Black Sea