An unexpected World War II bomb was found in Jiak Kim Street on November 12, during excavation works at the construction site. On Monday, authorities told to vacate the area ahead of a planned detonation of the war relic. A team of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Explosive Ordnance Disposal learnt that the 50kg WWII aerial bomb cannot be relocated and has to be disposed on the site.
A 200m safety cordon went up around the location along with police cordons which were set up around Jiak Kim Street and the nearby riverfront area on Monday. Meanwhile, residents at Mirage Tower and Tribeca by the Waterfront condominiums, as well as The Rivergate residents were asked to vacate the area between 8 am and 6 pm. The residents also told to leave their windows open. Police said it is a "precautionary measure as the possibility of windows shattering due to pressure differences is unlikely."
Grand Copthorne hotel authorities issues an advisory for its guests, stating that "Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Singapore Police Force has advised the hotel to vacate this room on Monday, November 18 2019 from 8 am to 6 pm." It also mentioned the affected areas are- Level 5 room series 15-17, Level 7 to level 30 room series 20-26, Swimming pool and gym.
Singapore people may face some issues while using the city roads, as many routes were closed for the bomb disposal operation. The list of closed streets include Jiak Kim Street, a stretch of Kim Seng Road between Kim Seng Promenade and Havelock Road, the slip road from Zion Rd towards Kim Seng Road, a section of River Valley Green and a portion of the Singapore River between Robertson Bridge and Jiak Kim Bridge. Bus service numbers 5, 16, 75, 175, 195 and 970 which uses these roads are also diverted.
Police stated that once these roads reopens, they will post the update on their social media page. Meanwhile only police, SAF and emergency vehicles will be allowed in these restricted areas.
