WWII Artillery Shells Removed from Solomon Islands School
CISR
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(Benar News) Over 200 U.S. artillery shells from World War II were safely removed from St. Nicholas School in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The shells were discovered near the National Referral Hospital during sewage work at a staff house. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the Australian Defense Force transferred the unexploded ordnance to Hell's Point for safe destruction. Honiara, the site of the 1943 Battle of Guadalcanal, is heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXOs), posing ongoing risks.
Inspector Clifford Tunuki of the RSIPF confirmed the area is now safe but urged continued vigilance. Despite clearance efforts led by Australia, UXO-related deaths still occur, with munitions left from WWII having a failure rate of up to one-in-three. The upcoming full UXO clearance operation will be the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began, focusing on Western Province, where 700 UXOs were destroyed earlier this year.
