The bomblets found in their original tubes at a resident’s garden in Quảng Trị’s Hướng Hóa District. — Photo Peace Tree Việt Nam |
QUẢNG TRỊ — Two farmers in central QuảngTrị Province found 60 bomblets yesterday while digging soil to grow bananas in their garden.
Hồ Văn Tam and Hồ Văn Nhóc, residents of Xy Commune in the province’s mountainous Hướng Hóa District, found a round-shaped explosive device while cultivating their land on Tuesday afternoon.
Tam and Nhóc informed local authorities about the device and specialists of Peace Tree Việt Nam later discovered 60 bomblets at the site.
Commune authorities evacuated residents living nearby for safety reasons before the Peace Tree staff started their job of removing the bomblets.
The staff exploded five bomblets, which were separate from the aluminum cover tubes, at the site and brought others in the original tubes to defuse at a safe place far from the residential area. The bomblets were found underground at a depth of 2m.
According to a Peace Tree employee, the bomblets were Blu24 bomblets used by the US Army during the war in Việt Nam.
Quảng Trị was on the border between North and South Việt Nam during war time. It thus received tonnes of bombs released by the US Air Force, making the province the top locality with unexploded explosive devices found on and underground in the country.
The province also has highest percentage of disabled people caused by post-war explosive devices in the country. — VNS