World War II Bomb in Tokyo Detonated, Explosion Felt Across City (VIDEO)
A World War II era bomb was detonated near a train station in Tokyo on Tuesday after it was unearthed at a construction site. No injuries were reported.
A construction crew alerted authorities of the presence of the nearly two foot bomb shell and then evacuated a nearby shopping area and train station. Local reports indicate that no residents live within 300 feet of the bomb, but the immediate area was evacuated anyway to ensure public safety.
Hours before Tuesday's detonation, Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force excavated the site around the bomb and covered the site with a 10-foot mound of sandbags to minimize the size of the explosion, New Tang Dynasty Television reported.
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The detonation occurred four minutes before noon local time on Tuesday, with local media revealing that the blast could be felt several blocks away and heard across the city. Traffic in the area was stopped and commuter trains and a bullet train line service were suspended.
Business and shoppers were able to return to the nearby shopping gallery located close to the station after the cleanup of debris was completed. Unfortunately, officials maintain this will not be an isolated incident.
A large amount of unexploded bombs are still found in Tokyo and other areas that were heavily bombed before Japan's 1945 surrender ended World War II. Many of the bombs recovered were dropped by the U.S. and its allies, but some were buried or lost by the Japanese military.
Officials believe that the bomb was once attached to an Imperial Army weapon for shooting down aircrafts as it had the markings that were common among Imperial Army anti-aircraft guns. Experts advise that individuals who uncover an unexploded bomb should not try to handle the ordinance as it is still live and instead should contact local authorities.
