A project of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) to disarm bombs and mines that still remain from wartime in Vietnam’s central Ha Tnh province has received approval from the Prime Minister.

The project, funded by Japan, will clean 2,550 hectares of land contaminated by bombs and mines, up to a depth of 5 metres, spread across 12 communes in the districts of Ky Anh, Huong Son and Can Loc.

The Japanese government has provided 4 million USD non-refundable aid to help Vietnam carry out this work in just over two years.

More than 800,000 tonnes of unexploded wartime ordinance remains buried across 21 percent of Vietnam’s land area. The central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Ngai are particularly badly affected.

Leftover explosives have killed about 42,130 people and injured another 62,160 who are now struggling to make ends meet every day, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.-VNA