300kg war bomb found in Vietnamese pond
A family in Ben Tre Province in southern Vietnam has been living with fear as a huge bomb they found in a backyard pond three weeks ago has not been removed.
 |
|
Huynh Van Ly shows the place in his pond where he discovered a wartime bomb. Photo by VnExpress/An Nam
|
The bomb is about 1.5 meter long (4 ft) and 20 cm in diameter. “It weighs 300 kg (661 lbs) and has turned rusty,” Ly said.
He has informed local officials but the bomb is still at the bottom of the pond, forcing him to up a warning sign to keep people away.
Ly and his family has also pumped water into the pond, hoping that cooling the bomb will reduce explosion risk.
A commune official said they are awaiting instructions from military officers.
The Vietnam War ended more than 40 years ago, but around 800,000 tons of unexploded ordnance remains scattered across the country.
Authorities say it may take more than a century to clear the country of the deadly legacy of war.
