Harare - People in a remote northern Zimbabwe village are living in fear after a meteorite plunged through the atmosphere last week and landed in a field, a state newspaper reported on Tuesday.

"The villagers heard some noise, which resembled that of a helicopter, coming from the eastern direction and the noise was followed by clouds of dust," police spokesperson Michael Munyikwa told the Herald.

The meteorite, measuring 21cm by 13cm and weighing around 4kg, left a 15cm crater when it plunged into a field not far from Chaworeka village, the paper said.

The meteorite, which has now been taken to the Forensic Scientists Laboratory at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Harare was described as black in colour with white particles inside. - Sapa-dpa