Hong Kong (China) police announced that they had urgently evacuated about 6,000 people in the Quarry Bay area on the night of September 19, after discovering a World War II bomb at a construction site on Pan Hoi Street.
The 1.5m long bomb, weighing about 450kg, was believed to have been dropped by US aircraft during the Japanese occupation of the city.
Chief Inspector of Dong District Police, Mr. Andy Chan Tin-chu, said the bomb was still in good condition and was assessed as highly dangerous. The authorities have evacuated residents of 18 surrounding buildings to ensure safety. Mr. Chan affirmed that the handling must be done on the spot and called on people to stay calm.
The bomb handling work started from dawn, expected to last 12 hours. Experts will cut the bomb body open and handle the explosives inside. Sandbags and water bags have been placed around the area to minimize the risk of incidents.
The Hong Kong Fire Department (China) deployed two fire trucks, two ambulances, a mobile rescue unit, fire robots and a command vehicle to coordinate at the scene. About 35 community support teams have also been mobilized to help people have temporary accommodation at hotels or social centers.
Hong Kong has repeatedly discovered unexploded bombs since World War II. In 2018, a similar bomb was found in the Wan Chai area, while in 2014, a nearly one-ton bomb was discovered in Happy Valley.
