On Sunday, August 7, the Italian army detonated a World War Two bomb that had been found in the low water after the Po, the nation’s longest river, dried up. Italy, which has been experiencing the worst drought in 70 years, declared a state of emergency last month for districts around the Po, which produces about a third of the nation’s agricultural output.
An old World War Two bomb weighing 1,000 pounds was exploded by the army near the little northern village of Borgo Virgilio, which is close to Mantua. Colonel Marco Nasi said, “The bomb was found by fishermen on the bank of the Po river due to a decrease in water levels caused by drought.”
In a statement, the army claimed that around 3,000 residents of the Borgo region had to be evacuated in order for the operation to be carried out safely. In addition, the area’s airspace was closed, and transportation on a nearby state road and train as well as along that section of the river was restricted.
Also read: IN PICS | What life in Afghanistan looks like after one year of Taliban rule?
Borgo Virgilio mayor Francesco Aporti said, “At first, someone said they would not move, but in the last few days, we think we have convinced everyone.” Between 0700 and 0900 GMT, bomb disposal specialists pulled the fuse from the U.S.-made device, which was packed with 240 kilogrammes of explosive.
The device was then moved by the bomb squads and destroyed in a quarry in the municipality of Medole while being escorted by local police. The army stated that the decontamination process was completed around 1400 GMT.
(with inputs from agencies)
