Tarakan Residents Find Half Ton WWII Bomb, Police: Still Active

Police secure a bomb left by World War II in Tarakan, Kaltara, Monday, May 23. (ANTARA/Susylo A)

KALTARA - A bomb left by World War II weighing half a ton with a diameter of 80 centimeters was found by residents of Juata Kerikil Village, Tarakan, North Kalimantan (Kaltara).

The temporary official for the Jibom Committee of the Gegana Satbrimobda Polda Kaltara Detachment, Police Brigadier Chief Budiono, said that the military bomb had no expiration date, but was still active.

"The mortars weigh around 500 kg with a length of more than one meter and the blast radius can be up to five kilometers," said the Interim Officer for the Jibom Detachment of the Gegana Satbrimobda Polda North Kalimantan, Police Brigadier Chief Budiono, in Tarakan, Monday, May 23.

He said there were still bombs and explosives from the World War II era in Tarakan and mostly in the coastal areas and airports.

"This large bomb has been found in Tarakan three times and if the public finds it to report it immediately, don't tamper with it," said Budiono.

Meanwhile, the owner of the land where the bomb was found, Jantor, said the discovery began when workers were excavating the ground using heavy equipment on Sunday, May 22.

"When the members were digging the ground, it suddenly collapsed and fell, then the operator called me to see what it was, a bomb or what," he said.

After the object was cleaned and looked at carefully, it turned out that a bomb had previously slipped or fallen from a cliff with a height of about 20 meters. Judging from its condition, some of the bombs are embedded in the ground and some are above the surface.

Because there were a lot of workers at the site and sometimes there were children playing, the police moved the bomb to a safer location. "We temporarily secure the location here, using a loader and we lift it very carefully," said Jantor.