Powerful Explosion in Papua Village Kills 5, Injures 20

Indonesia. At least 5 people have died and about 20 have been injured in a powerful explosion in a fishing village in Indonesia's eastern Papua region on Sunday. Police suspect this explosion may have been caused by a leftover bomb or mortar from World War II.

The explosion, which occurred on Sunday afternoon local time, caused great panic throughout the village. Footage broadcast by Kompas TV showed a loud roar accompanying the explosion, a large fireball rising, and then a thick cloud of smoke spreading into the sky. The explosion was so powerful that nine houses around the scene were completely destroyed.

According to the police, the explosion occurred under a stilt house, a house built on stilts. Based on preliminary investigations, it is estimated that its source could be a bomb or mortar used during World War II.

Papua Police Spokesperson Cahyo Sukarnito told AFP, "It is suspected that the source of the explosion could be a bomb or mortar leftover from World War II."

Although search and rescue operations are ongoing after the incident, the situation is not yet clear. Reports indicate that three people are still missing. According to Cahyo, the identification process of some human remains found at the scene has not yet been completed.

He informed that at least 19 people sustained minor injuries and are undergoing treatment. He also stated that further details will be released after the search and investigation are completed.

"We will provide more information after the search and investigation process for the victims is completed," he said.

Similar incidents related to explosions have occurred in Indonesia before. Last year, in West Java province, 13 people died when the Indonesian army detonated explosives in a pit while destroying decommissioned weapons. Nine of the deceased were civilians.

During World War II, Indonesia was one of the major battlegrounds in Asia. At that time, the Japanese army occupied the Dutch East Indies, and Allied forces conducted extensive military operations to regain control. Explosive materials and military remnants from that time are considered to pose a risk in some areas even decades later.