French-era bomb found in Yen Bai
Military sapper in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai detonated a 150kg bomb, said to be left over by the French during the war in the first half of the 20th century, on May 30, ensuring safety for local residents.
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The 1m long bomb was found on May 27 when the family of Nguyen Thi Thuyen in A Thuong village, Nghia Phuc commune, Nghia Lo town, was levelling the land plot behind their house.
As the site is close to a residential area, the local military command had to move the bomb to a far-flung area for detonation.
Post-war bombs and mines have remained a daily threat in Vietnam.
It is estimated that more than 6.1 million ha of land or 18.71% of Vietnam’s total area are contaminated with about 800,000 tonnes of bombs, mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) left by wars, which are scattered over all 63 cities and provinces in the country, with the central region the hardest hit.
Between 1975 and now, bombs and mines killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others.
Each year, Vietnam decontaminates from 40,000-50,000 ha of land. However, it will take more than a century to clear all bombs and mines in the country, with an estimated cost of over US$10 billion, excluding spending on resettlement and social welfare work in the danger zones.
