Undetonated World War II bomb forces 6,000 people to evacuate in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police evacuated 6,000 people from a densely populated residential and commercial neighborhood late Friday night after construction workers unearthed an undetonated World War II bomb, authorities said.

The 1,000-pound explosive was discovered in the Hong Kong island neighborhood of Quarry Bay after it was likely dropped by U.S. Army forces eight decades ago during its efforts to liberate the city from Japanese occupation, according to a police statement.

The department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit believes the bomb, found between 16 and 94 Pan Hoi St., “is still in good condition,” thus prompting “the emergency evacuation” of 18 residential and commercial buildings, police said.

Roads throughout Quarry Bay were closed down as the bomb squad prepared for the M65 explosive’s removal.

Despite Hong Kong’s high population density and the passage of eight decades, the discovery of World War II explosives is still not uncommon in the former British colony.

A similar 1,000-pound bond was found in the bustling Wan Chai neighborhood in 2018.

Construction workers came upon a 2,000-pound explosive in the high-rent district of Happy Valley in 2014.