Thousands evacuated in Hong Kong after discovery of large WWII-era bomb
Police evacuated about 6,000 residents from roughly 1,900 households after a 1.5-meter, 1,000-pound World War II bomb was found in Quarry Bay.
HONG KONG — Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes overnight after authorities discovered a large undetonated World War II–era bomb at a construction site in Quarry Bay.
The device measured about 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet) in length and weighed roughly 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), police said. About 1,900 households involving about 6,000 people were urged to evacuate swiftly because of "the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal," according to Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a police official, who spoke to reporters ahead of the operation.
The operation to deactivate the bomb began late Friday and continued through Saturday morning, with the device safely defused around 11:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.
Quarry Bay, a busy residential and business district on the west side of Hong Kong Island, remained under heightened security and traffic restrictions typical of such tasks as authorities prepared evacuation routes and safe zones for residents.
Bombs left over from World War II are discovered from time to time in Hong Kong. The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war, and earlier Allied air raids targeted Hong Kong to disrupt Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.
AP senior videojournalist Raf Wober contributed to this report.