Cleanup from Urals meteor at 65 percent

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MOSCOW, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Russian officials said Saturday about 1,500 people sought psychological counseling after a giant meteor left a path of destruction in the Urals.

The spectacular fireball lit up the sky Feb. 15 and was followed by a huge shock wave that blew out thousands of windows and caused scores of mostly minor injuries.

The Emergency Situations Ministry said along with the psychological treatment given to rattled residents, another 44 people remained hospitalized with physical injuries.

Work crews were still cleaning up the area, where nearly 10,000 windows had been replaced and more than 160 tons of broken glass hauled away by the end of the week.

Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said the cleanup was pegged at 65 percent complete. About 11,000 people had been involved in the project.