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Thousands of residents in Hong Kong were evacuated overnight after workers uncovered a massive US-made bomb from World War II at a construction site in Quarry Bay, a busy residential and commercial district on Hong Kong Island.”We have confirmed this object to be a bomb dating back to World War II,” Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a senior police officer told the Associated Press.Given “the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal,” authorities ordered the evacuation of around 1,900 households, roughly 6,000 people — who were “urged to evacuate swiftly.”Police said the bomb measured 1.5 metres long and weighed about 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms). It was discovered by construction workers, prompting a large-scale evacuation to ensure public safety.Bomb disposal experts began the delicate operation late Friday and successfully defused the device by around 11:30 am on Saturday. No injuries were reported.Such discoveries are not uncommon in Hong Kong. The city was occupied by Japanese forces during World War II, making it a frequent target of Allied air raids. Many unexploded bombs remain buried beneath the city, occasionally resurfacing during construction work.This latest discovery serves as a stark reminder of Hong Kong’s wartime past, even as the modern city continues to expand and redevelop.Earlier in 2018, a similar bomb was discovered in the Wan Chai district, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 people. That disposal operation had taken about 20 hours.In June, over 20,000 people were evacuated from Cologne’s city centre in Germany after three unexploded US bombs from World War II were found.
