Another World War II-era bomb unearthed in Hong Kong

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Thousands of people in Hong Kong were evacuated Wednesday after authorities found another unexploded bomb from the World War II era, officials said.

The bomb was found at a construction site and is similar to the bomb found Saturday, which also triggered evacuations.

Roads in downtown Hong Kong were closed and nearly 5,000 people attending nearby events were evacuated.

The 1,000-pound bomb, an AN-M65 model made in the United States and likely dropped on Hong Kong sometime between 1941 and 1945, was found embedded in dirt about to be excavated -- about 30 feet from where the other bomb was discovered.

At least 27 bus routes were diverted Wednesday, a pedestrian bridge was closed and nearby buildings, including shopping malls and hotels, were evacuated.

Police said the ordnance contained nearly 500 pounds of explosives, which could cause shrapnel flying for over a mile if it detonated.

Officials said the damaged second bomb "is in a dangerous condition."

"The fuse mechanism is severely damaged and the bomb's position is making it difficult for our equipment to gain optimum access," bomb disposal officer Alick McWhirter said. "It is unstable ground. The water [from recent rain] made the bomb difficult to secure, which is quite important when you try to stabilize it."

He added the bomb's removal will be more complex and take more time than removal of the first bomb, which took about an hour to defuse.