* Astronomy

The source of the mysterious 'blast' that rocked parts of southern Bangalore at 4 pm on Wednesday evening, 17th August, continues to be mysterious.

Some readers, including retired defence personnel, called up The Times of India to point out - the noise produced when aircraft cross the sound barrier. Considering that regular test flights of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) are conducted here, that could be the source of the sound, one of the readers said.

Sources in Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), ruled out the possibility that the sound could be a 'sonic boom' .
"There were no test flights at that time. To attain the speed of sound, the aircraft need to be at a certain height, so it will not be so audible from the ground"

Officials at the India Meteorology Department (IMD) and geotechnical scientists at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) civil engineering wing said "no significant earthquake activity" occurred at the time.

A resident of Banashankari said Dynamite blasts are frequent in Banashankari II Stage. The dynamite is used at a construction site near his house to clear rocky area there. "There were vibrations at 4 pm when a blast occurred in the construction site".

According to the Mines and Geology Department, there are no quarrying permits issued within Bangalore City Corporation limits, though, other sources said a couple of quarries do function in the Subramanyapura area.

Adapted from source.