• Approximately 6,000 residents evacuated after a WWII bomb was discovered in Quarry Bay.
• The bomb, measuring 1.5 metres and weighing 1,000 pounds, was found at a construction site.
• Authorities activated an emergency plan due to high risks associated with the bomb's disposal.

Hong Kong authorities evacuated about 6,000 residents from 18 buildings following the discovery of a WWII bomb at a construction site in Quarry Bay. The bomb, measuring approximately 1.5 metres long and weighing 450 kilograms (1,000 pounds), was determined to be "fully functional" by police. Due to the risks involved in dismantling the device, emergency evacuation plans were set in motion, according to SCMP and Dawn.

The police began evacuating residents late Friday night, and operations continued into Saturday. Police District Commander Andy Chan confirmed that the bomb's disposal was expected to last about 12 hours. This discovery is reminiscent of past incidents, including a bomb unearthed in 2018, which resulted in the evacuation of 1,200 people. Such unexploded ordnance is not uncommon in Hong Kong, where remnants from WWII frequently surface during construction activities, according to India Times and Le Monde.

During the operation, police noted that evacuations involved more than 1,900 households, and checks were conducted to ensure all residents vacated safely. Officials also expressed relief that there were no reported injuries during the bomb disposal operation, which concluded successfully by Saturday morning. Contrary to the serious nature of the situation, the timely response by local police highlights the ongoing challenges in managing historical dangers, according to India Times and CBS News.