# Tunguska event (1908)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1908-tunguska-event
Categories: main-event

A huge airburst, probably caused by a meteoroid or comet fragment, flattened about 80 million trees over 2,000 square kilometres near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River. The first scientific expedition, led by Leonid Kulik, reached the site in 1927. Tunguska is the largest impact event in recorded history.

## Why it matters
Tunguska is the largest impact event in recorded history.

Ruler at the time: [Nicholas II](https://history-russia.com/rulers/nicholas-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Tunguska event](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event)
- [Wikipedia — Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Tunguska event](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Tunguska+event)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)