Thousands evacuated in HK after discovery of WWII bomb

"We have confirmed this object to be a bomb dating back to World War II," said Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a police official.

He said because of "the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal," approximately 1900 households involving 6000 individuals were "urged to evacuate swiftly."

The operation to deactivate the bomb began late Friday and lasted until Saturday morning. No one was injured in the operation.

Bombs left over from World War II are discovered from time to time in Hong Kong.

The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war, when it became a base for the Japanese military and shipping. The United States, along with other Allied forces, targeted Hong Kong in air raids to disrupt Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.