A World War II-era aerial bomb was successfully detonated by the Kediri Brimob Bomb Disposal (Jibom) team on Friday (10/7/2026) morning. The disposal process of the explosive material, weighing between 50 and 100 kilograms, was carried out in the Lahar River area on the slopes of Mount Kelud, Blitar Regency.
The echo of the explosion produced by the process was quite powerful. Tremors and a loud bang were reportedly felt up to a radius of three to four kilometers from the site. This triggered temporary panic among local residents who rushed out of their homes thinking Mount Kelud was erupting.
Eka, a resident of Sumberasri Village, Nglegok District, admitted that residents were briefly gripped by fear right after hearing the thundering sound. "We initially thought Mount Kelud erupted because the sound was so loud. Only after residents came out of their houses did we realize that it was the sound of the bomb explosion found earlier," Eka said.
Previously, the 1.5-meter-long aerial bomb was found buried in the Lahar River stream, Sukorejo District, Blitar City. Blitar City Police Chief, AKBP Kalfaris Triwijaya Lalo, explained that the destruction was deliberately carried out because the bomb was still active and deemed dangerous if left unattended.
To ensure public safety, the police decided to evacuate the bomb from its original discovery location to a safer area on the slopes of Mount Kelud. This swift action was taken as a preventive measure to avoid the risk of an unplanned explosion in residential areas.
