Quang Tri: War-time bombs in residential areas relocated

Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Tri (VNA) – PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of the US that engages in detecting and defusing bombs, mines, and explosives, announced that it had successfully handled two bombs that were found in the central province of Quang Tri over the past few days.

The first bomb, identified as an M117 - was discovered on October 3 by PTVN’s bomb and mine clearance team No 3 at a depth of 1 metre in a rubber farm in Cam Lo district’s Cam Hieu commune. It is about 2 metres in length and 340 kg in weight.

The second one, also an M117 bomb, was detected about 70 metres away from the first one, on October 4.

The two bombs were relocated to a safer area for handling.

Quang Tri is the most polluted locality in Vietnam in terms of unexploded ordnances (UXOs), which are scattered over 81% of its land area. Landmines and bombs have killed over 3,430 people and injured 5,100 others since the war ended in 1975.

So far, 34 non-governmental and 23 international organisations have joined bomb and mine clearance efforts in the province, which  targets becoming the first locality nationwide to be free from wartime bombs, mines and UXO by 2025./.