A decades-old World War II bomb exploded under a house in Indonesia’s eastern Papua region on Monday, killing five people and injuring at least 19 others.
The blast occurred in an Indonesian fishing village near the restive eastern Papua region, sending a thunderous boom followed by flames and thick smoke. Local authorities reported that the device was strongly suspected to be a WWII-era bomb or mortar that failed to detonate during its initial deployment.
Papua police spokesman Cahyo Sukarnito stated that three people remain missing, with several body parts yet to be identified. The incident has prompted an ongoing search for victims and investigation.
Earlier this year, a similar event unfolded in Plymouth, England, where a WWII-era bomb was discovered at a building site. More than 1,200 homes were evacuated after the device was found, and a controlled detonation was carried out on a German SC250 air-dropped bomb weighing 250 kilograms.
The operation to make the bomb safe began at 8:15 BST with safety checks. By 11:20 BST, officials confirmed the bomb had been made safe, but the exclusion zone remained in place until 13:45 for comprehensive inspections.
