Ground shock in Cairns known as 'daytime fireball'

Hundreds of residents in Far North Queensland have described how the ground shook after a suspected meteor streaked across the sky above Cairns.

The event occurred at approximately 1:40pm yesterday and was witnessed in dozens of locations across the far north.

Astronomer David Reneke said that it was most likely a type of meteor known as a “daytime fireball” - a type of slow-moving meteor that burns and melts.