Bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled underground detonation of a World War II explosive near Paris on Sunday, after authorities evacuated over 1,000 residents.
Nearly 800 police cordoned off the site in the northwest suburb of Colombes, where the device was first discovered on April 10th.
An AFP journalist heard the explosion at around 3.20pm as experts detonated the bomb in a two-metre-deep pit.
Local officials also confirmed that the operation had been carried out.
The controlled explosion was ordered after specialists failed to remove the detonator from the explosive, which measured more than one metre in length, excluding the tail section.
Footage of the operation showed rusty metal fragments at the bottom of a sand pit reinforced with thick timber planks and concrete walls.
Residents within a 450-metre radius were told early on Sunday to move to local reception centres.
Authorities expected to allow them back into their homes later during the day.
Some local roads were also closed to traffic and public transport.
Local official Alexandre Brugere on Thursday had described the operation as “risky” and requiring a “high level of preparation.”
READ ALSO: How France is still littered with unexploded bombs from the World Wars
Unexploded World War II ordnance is still found across Europe, particularly in Germany, where bombs are frequently discovered at construction sites.
In 2025, the discovery of a 500kg wartime bomb halted traffic at the Paris Gare du Nord, France’s busiest railway station.
