350-kg wartime bomb discovered in central Vietnam, safely removed

By VNA   October 3, 2024 | 04:40 pm PT
350-kg wartime bomb discovered in central Vietnam, safely removed
Experts from the Mine Action Group (MAG) transport a bomb found in Quang Binh Province, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo by People's Army Newspaper
A 350-kg bomb from the Vietnam War was discovered by a local resident in central Quang Binh Province, prompting authorities and experts to secure and safely remove the explosive device.

A local resident found the bomb while farming in Minh Hoa District and reported to the authorities. In response, local officials cordoned off the site, placed warning signs, and assigned guards to prevent public access.

The bomb, coded M117, measures 1.1 m in length and weighs 350 kg. Experts from the Mine Action Group (MAG) and local authorities safely removed the bomb, pending detonation in line with regulation.

According to the Technology Center for Bomb and Mine Disposal under the Engineering Command, up to 7,645 of the 8,686 communes in Vietnam’s 63 provinces and cities are polluted with unexploded ordnance (UXOs).

Statistics from the National Steering Committee for Recovery over Postwar Bomb and Landmine Impacts showed that some 800,000 tonnes of UXOs are scattered across 6.6 million hectares, or 20.12% of the country’s land, mainly in the central region, putting people in danger every day.

 
 
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