From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 1, 2026
Suspected WWII ordnance explodes in Indonesia, killing five
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA suspected shell left over from World War II exploded under a stilt house in an Indonesian fishing village, killing five people and wounding nearly 20, police say.
The blast in Indonesia’s restive eastern Papua region startled locals with a thunderous boom yesterday afternoon, emitting a ball of flames followed by a thick smoke column, according to footage broadcast on Kompas TV.
Nine homes were destroyed.
TELAH TERJADI LEDAKAN DIDUGA BOM PENINGGALAN PERANG DUNIA KE-2.
Ledakan diduga berasal dari Bom Peninggalan Perang Dunia II di Kompleks Perikanan, Jln Walter Monginsidi, Kelurahan Fandoi, Distrik Biak Kota, Papua, Korban MD 5 orang, 3 orang lainnya dlm pencarian
31/5/2026_ https://t.co/MPm7AridEd pic.twitter.com/43dEBLXDZm
— NyxNara (@NaraSenyap) May 31, 2026
“The source of the explosion is strongly suspected to have been a bomb or mortar left over from World War II,” Papua police spokesman Cahyo Sukarnito says.
Three people are still recorded as missing, but Cahyo says several body parts have yet to be identified. At least 19 people were treated for minor injuries, he adds.
Indonesia was a major battle zone during WWII when Japanese forces occupied what was then the Dutch East Indies, and Allied forces fought to retake control.
The Times of Israel Community.