SAF Will Dispose Of World War 2 Bomb In River Valley
The most excitement that the town area in Singapore offers is perhaps the annual Christmas light-up.
But on Monday (18 Sep), River Valley will be host to a whole other explosive experience — a World War 2 bomb disposal.
Workers had uncovered the World War 2 relic at a construction site along Jiak Kim Street on Tuesday (12 Nov).
Since moving the bomb would be dangerous, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will cordon off the area instead and defuse it right there.
Unsafe to move World War bomb
According to a post by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), SAF’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has identified the relic to be a 50kg World War 2 aerial bomb, which they found unsafe to move.
As such, they will have to conduct a controlled disposal on-site, which requires large sections of the surrounding area to be closed off.
The disposal will occur between 8am-6pm tomorrow (18 Nov), but SPF will put up a 200-meter safety cordon all around the bomb till then.
The barricade will cover a larger area on the day of the disposal itself.
Certain roads & parts of Singapore River will close
To facilitate the operation, SPF has instructed residents of the nearby condominiums to vacate their homes temporarily.
The condos in question are:
- Mirage Tower
- Tribeca by the Waterfront
- Rivergate
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel guests will likewise have to make temporary arrangements since the hotel is just next to the site.
In addition, the public should note the closure of the following areas:
- River Valley Green Road
- Kim Seng Road (between Kim Seng Promenade & Havelock Road)
- Zion Road slip road towards Kim Seng Road
- Jiak Kim Street
- Singapore River (between Robertson Bridge & Kim Seng Bridge)
All vehicles and river boats cannot enter these areas from 9.30am tomorrow.
SPF will update their Facebook and Twitter once any area reopens, so do keep a lookout.
Be cautious but don’t be alarmed
Any vehicle found parked in the vicinity or causing an obstruction will be towed away. Drones are also not allowed to fly over the area.
Motorists who may be unfamiliar with the roads need not worry, as there will be Traffic Police around to redirect you.
If you happen to be close by, you might hear loud sounds, but SPF assures us that there’s nothing to fear.
Just remember to steer clear of the area, keep calm and carry on.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
