ISLAMABAD: Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Hong Kong overnight so experts could defuse a large U.S.-made bomb left over from World War II that was discovered at a construction site. Police said the bomb was 1.5 meters in length and weighed about 450 kilograms. It was discovered by construction workers in Quarry Bay, a bustling residential and business district on the west side of Hong Kong island.&nbsp; &ldquo;We have confirmed this object to be a bomb dating back to World War II,&rdquo; said Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a police official, speaking to reporters ahead of the operation.&nbsp;He said that because of &ldquo;the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal,&rdquo; approximately 1,900 households involving 6,000 individuals were &quot;urged to evacuate swiftly.&rdquo; The operation to deactivate the bomb began late Friday and lasted until around 11:30 am Saturday. No one was injured in the operation. Bombs left over from World War II are discovered from time to time in Hong Kong.&nbsp;The city was occupied by Japanese forces during the war, when it became a base for the Japanese military and shipping.&nbsp; The United States, along with other Allied forces, targeted Hong Kong in air raids to disrupt Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.

Hong Kong evacuates thousands after WWII-era bomb found (AP).

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The bomb weighed about 450 kilograms, with around 1,900 households involving 6,000 individuals "urged to evacuate swiftly.”

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Hong Kong evacuates thousands after WWII-era bomb found