A Nation Shut Down Ahead of WWII Bomb Disposal

Nauru, Micronesia Schools and workplaces on the tiny Pacific Island of Nauru are slated to be closed and the area evacuated as Australian Army EOD defuse a 500-lb WWII UXO discovered by a construction crew in a residential area near the Nauru International Airport.

Acting President Martin Hunt declared a state of disaster covering the entire island of Nauru, one of the world's smallest nations with a land area of just 8 sq. miles and a population of 11,000.

In a statement Commander Lieutenant Jordan Bell of the Australian Defence Force said, "The item is extremely dangerous so our key concern has been the safety of the people of Nauru as well as the vital infrastructure that supplies water and power that is in the immediate vicinity."

"It is very unlikely an unintended detonation will happen; however, if the bomb detonates, water, electricity and housing within the cordon may be damaged," the Nauru government warned residents.