Search for wartime bombs in Imatra
Evacuations possible for up to 3,000 residents
A search for unexploded bombs and artillery shells from the last war began in the centre of the southeastern city of Imatra on Tuesday.
Experts of the Finnish Defence Forces began their operation at a construction site for an office building. If the team finds any explosives, between 200 and 3,000 people in nearby areas will have to be evacuated - depending on the type of explosive in question.
Imatra suffered heavy bombardment during the war, and there is general suspicion that many unexploded devices could still be in the ground.
A search for duds at the site took place already last summer in the first phases of construction. None were found at that time, but more recently, an artillery shell was uncovered and taken to a sand pit in nearby Joutseno for controlled detonation.
The head of the operation, Captain Jouni Ruotsalainen, expects the search to take between three and four weeks to complete.
The work is fairly slow: digging machines remove layers of earth known to be clear of explosives, after which the soldiers use a ground-penetrating radar to check the next layer.
If anything suspicious is found, the police are notified. The police then decide if an evacuation is necessary.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 4.8.2004 - TODAY |
 Search for wartime bombs in Imatra |
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