Dawn began the cleanup operations of the 2000 kg airplane bomb found a month ago on a construction site on the outskirts of Viterbo. In a city patrolled by the police, over 36 thousand people moved to leave their homes located within the red zone of 1,400 meters from the site of the discovery. The Municipality of Viterbo has set up 3 reception centers located in the parishes of: Santa Barbara, in the district of the same name, Sacra Famiglia in the Salamaro district and Mazzetta in the Grotticella district.
It will be the sound of an alarm siren that will announce the end of the evacuation, and the beginning of the defusing operations of the army bomb squad.
“It is among the largest devices found on the national territory – explains Luigi Prencipe, team leader of the bomb squad – it is still active and has three fuses whose removal will be a real surgical operation, for which we have estimated a working time of about five hours.”
“The bomb was renamed ‘Lady Rose’, in honor of Santa Rosa, patron saint of the city. – added Prencipe – A similar device had also been found in Viterbo in the past. In order not to explode two of them, it means that Santa Rosa protected this If this had exploded, we would not know Viterbo as it is today”.
The mayor of Viterbo, Chiara Frontini, was also present at the site of the discovery early this morning. “The evacuation operations are proceeding as per the schedule – said Frontini – the roads are manned, and the population is going to the reception centres, the sick and fragile have already been taken to safety, now we are confidently waiting for the bomb squad to do their job their work.”
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