Officers and soldiers discuss methods to detonate a 334kg bomb left from the war on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG BÌNH — The military command of the central province of Quảng Bình coordinated with the PeaceTrees Vietnam project to safely detonated a 334kg bomb left from the war on Tuesday.

The bomb was discovered on Monday by soldiers of infantry battalion No 42 when they were doing gardening in their compound in Bố Trạch District.

It was later confirmed to be a M117-750LB.

Only a week ago, a 340kg bomb was found in Ba Don Township also in Quảng Bình. It was deactivated by sappers of the provincial Military Command and the Peace Trees Vietnam.

Việt Nam is among the countries most affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Today, unexploded bombs and mines are hidden underground in almost all provinces and cities, with around 5.6 million hectares of land contaminated, equivalent to 17.71 per cent of the country’s natural land area.

With joint efforts of the Vietnamese government and people, and the support of the international community, over the past 50 years, since the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Việt Nam was signed on January 27, 1973, Việt Nam has cleared nearly 2.5 million hectares of contaminated land to serve resettlement, ensure safety for people, and build economic works. — VNS