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A 1,000-Pound Unexploded Bomb Found Near Homes in Bolikhamxay

This Week

On 16 July, Residents of Namphao Village in Khamkeut District, Bolikhamxay Province, found a massive unexploded bomb while excavating land to build a house. The bomb was found just five meters from residential homes.

The Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) clearance team that inspected the site on 23 July confirmed the device as a 1,000-pound bomb weighing over 453 kilograms. According to their assessment, an explosion would cause severe damage within a 1.5-kilometer radius, potentially devastating the surrounding residential area. 

Authorities stated that this type of discovery is rare in Laos due to its massive size and the danger it poses, especially being so close to a populated area.

The team is now collaborating with local authorities to develop a safe removal plan. 

The ongoing threat that UXO poses to Lao communities decades after the Vietnam War bombing between 1964 and 1973, when the country became the most heavily bombed nation per capita in history.

Recent months have seen similar discoveries. 

In May, a 500-pound bomb was detonated in Houaphanh Province, while June brought the discovery of a 750-pound bomb in Attapeu Province. 

Houaphanh authorities, together with a team of UXO experts, working to detonate a 500-pound bomb. (Photo credit: Khit Ork)

The human cost remains significant, during the first half of 2025, seven UXO accidents resulted in 12 casualties, including four deaths and eight injuries, with six children among the victims.

Despite these challenges, clearance efforts continue. 

In the first six months of 2025, UXO teams surveyed 9,413 hectares and cleared 2,717 hectares across 14 provinces while providing risk education to 181,531 people. Since 1996, Laos has cleared over 97,626 hectares and destroyed more than two million UXO items, including 5,015 large bombs and over one million cluster munitions.

A 750-pound bomb found in the area of coffee grounds in Sanamxay District, Attapeu Province.
A 750-pound bomb found in the area of coffee grounds in Sanamxay District, Attapeu Province.

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