Sappers from the Military High Command of the southern province of Trà Vinh on Monday successfully deactivated a bomb weighing over 150kg from Việt Nam War-era. — VNA/VNS Photo

TRÀ VINH — Sappers from the Military High Command of the southern province of Trà Vinh on Monday successfully removed and deactivated a MK-81 bomb weighing over 150kg left over from the resistance war against United States' aggression.

The bomb was found in Trường Long Hòa Commune, Duyên Hải Town when villagers in Nhà Mát Hamlet were digging foundations for construction. The residents have quickly reported to authorities about the bomb.

The general-purpose bomb, nicknamed Firecracker, was buried deep in the ground for a long time, but it still had its fuse intact.

The bomb was first used by the US army in the war in Việt Nam

Decades after the end of the war, Việt Nam still suffers from the deadly threat of bombs, mines, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by war.

According to the Việt Nam National Mine Action Centre, all 63 provinces and centrally-run cities in Việt Nam are contaminated with UXO, with 5.6 million hectares of land in total (17.71 per cent of the country’s acreage) affected. It is estimated that between 600,000 – 800,000 tonnes of UXO are still hidden underground, and 110,000 people have so far become victims of UXO. — VNS