Japanese Airport Closes After World War II Bomb Is Found

A Japanese airport closed on Tuesday after workers discovered an unexploded World War II bomb. Nearly 100 flights in and out of Sendai Airport in northern Japan were cancelled after the 550-pound ordnance was found.

Construction workers found the WWII bomb while working near a runway. Local police officials believe the American-made weapon is a dud dropped during the war, according to Yahoo News. The military devise allegedly appeared to still boast a working detonator. A bomb squad called to the Japanese airport reviewed the scene to determine whether to remove the bomb or explode it where it sat.

The military bomb squad piled sandbags around the device and the evacuation of nearby homes were considered as a precautionary measure. The immediate area around the presumed WWII weapon had been sealed off; although there was no immediate concern about the ordnance exploding on its own.

Local officials tentatively planned to reopen the airport on Wednesday, after the bomb was considered secure. It is expected to take up to a week to remove and dispose of the barriers erected to prepare the area for the controlled detonation.

Nearly 70 years after Japan surrendered during World War II, dud bombs are still being found on the island nation. Dozens of unexploded ordnances are found around Tokyo and Okinawa each year.

The Sendai Airport is the primary transportation hub in northern Japan, according to BusinessInsider. The area was closed for many months due to damage from the tsunami. While the airport was open and functional after the disaster, reconstruction remains ongoing.