World War II bomb kills five in Papua village, injures 19

A suspected World War II-era explosive detonated beneath a stilt house in a fishing village in Indonesia’s Papua region on Sunday, killing five people and injuring nearly 20 others. The blast destroyed nine homes and left three people missing as search operations continued.

The explosion occurred on Sunday afternoon in Biak Numfor Regency on Biak island. Footage from the scene showed a large fireball and a thick column of smoke rising from the waterfront community, accompanied by a loud boom that startled residents. Local police and rescue teams reported that the force of the blast obliterated the house directly above the device and caused severe damage to the surrounding settlement.

Papua police spokesman Cahyo Sukarnito stated that the source of the explosion is strongly suspected to have been a bomb or mortar left over from World War II, citing the area's wartime history and the nature of the blast. He cautioned that the formal investigation is ongoing and that definitive identification of the device awaits further technical assessment. Authorities have not determined what triggered the detonation beneath the house.

At least 19 people were treated for mostly minor injuries....