13/02/2022 Laos
“If you ever come across anything suspicious like this item, please do not pick it up, contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance”
Khambang Kounthachanh, 71, from the south-east Asian country of Laos, wanted to build a washroom beside her house — but instead uncovered a 500 pound bomb dropped during the Vietnam War. The widow and mother-of-five lives in an area of the country that was one of the region’s most heavily bombed during that war. And the explosives are still littered across the country. Her province alone has recently seen three people killed and many more injured by these 50-year-old bombs. The device in Kounthachanh’s garden was discovered as workmen dug the foundations of the washroom just three metres away from her house. Kounthachanh and her neighbours are thanking Ireland after funding from Irish Aid allowed for the bomb to be safely removed and destroyed. Last year, Irish Aid spent €3million clearing unexploded bombs and mines in countries such as Laos, Afghanistan, Colombia, Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. As well as ensuring nobody is killed or injured by the unexploded devices, clearance programmes make fields safe for farming, giving people an extra source of food and cash.
If you find anything that appears to be an explosive , device, do not touch it, leave it where it is and call the police. We will contact the appropriate agencies to properly dispose of the item.
Biography of a Bomb
Dear editors, Biography of a bomb is aimed at highlighting the danger caused by unexploded bombs. Moreover, the most important aspect is that we work completely non profit, raising awerness about this topic is what drives us. We apologize if we make use of pictures in yours articles, but we need them to put a context in how findings are done. We will (and we always do) cite source and author of the picture. We thank you for your comprehension
