Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs
According to official data from Laos, during the Vietnam War, the US military dropped 2 to 3 million tons of bombs on Laos. The US military has dropped approximately 270 million cluster bombs, with over 80 million remaining in Laos, causing serious and long-lasting disasters. Unexploded bombs alone caused approximately 50000 deaths. Until today, the local bomb clearance forces in Laos are still risking their lives to carry out detection and destruction work. The CCTV reporter recently visited the densely populated areas of unexploded ordnance in Laos and participated in the on-site explosive disposal work.
During the Vietnam War, in order to destroy the road opened by Vietnam to the south through the narrow mountainous areas of Laos, the United States carried out a large-scale bombing operation on Laos, and the number of bombs dropped even exceeded the total number during World War II. Most of them are cluster bombs, which have a 10% to 30% chance of not detonating immediately when dropped, becoming a long-term threat.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/a860e4be2e5c807533ad92db92a010cc.jpg)
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: Beside me is a map of the distribution of unexploded bombs in Laos. You can see on the map that these red areas are the locations of unexploded bomb remnants. How many are there actually? According to statistics, during the nine years of the Vietnam War, the US military carried out 580000 bombings on Laos, dropping 270 million cluster bombs alone, with over 80 million remaining in Laos, located in 17 provinces including the capital Vientiane. We are about to go to one of the provinces with the highest concentration of unexploded bomb remnants, Chuan Kuang Province, to participate in the clearance and destruction of unexploded bombs.
Approximately 25% of Laos has unexploded ordnance left behind, with the northeastern province of Khouang, which borders Vietnam, being a severely affected area.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e743c524677a096257cfcf2a9a164843.jpg)
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: This is a map of Chuan Kuang Province. Our location is now here, the area with the highest density of red and unexploded ordnance.
Starting from 1996, the Laotian government established an unexploded ordnance clearance agency to investigate, detect, and destroy US military bombs. This is a high-risk job.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/561a02eab0b7a2441421e9610d60ca6c.jpg)
Shaomani Manion, Deputy Director of the National Project for Unexploded Bomb Clearance in Laos: The clearance agency often experiences accidents while carrying out field clearance work, resulting in casualties among our staff.
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: Now we have entered a clearance area for unexploded bombs. There are 19 bombs under my feet that have not been cleared yet. So we must follow the captain of the cleaning team and never leave the route. Just now, before we came in, we requested our phone to be turned off, and when filling out the information form, we all filled in our own blood type. Because the captain told us that there is a high possibility of accidents occurring after entering the unexploded ordnance disposal area. If an accident occurs, we, as visitors and participants, can receive emergency treatment.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8c644678a89e41c3acf317bca05cde2b.jpg)
Senior expert on unexploded ordnance disposal project in Laos, Saisa Meng: Fear is a fear, but when I was a child, I often saw villagers encountering explosion accidents. I want to help them live a safer life.
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: 50 meters away from me is a piece of farmland belonging to the villagers. There is also a cow over there and a farmer's house on the mountain. So, everyone can see how close the bomb area is to the place where the villagers live.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/4b03fb586a8a795a8b1228453d642f3c.jpg)
The United States provided Laos with information on the location of dropped bombs, but the dangerous cleanup work was mostly carried out by Laotians and international organizations.
Do we have protective equipment when detecting and destroying bombs?
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/822c0cb77ae1e45a207b799bd9433d85.jpg)
Kavo Pongmahasai, the captain of the Laotian unexploded ordnance disposal unit: No, not really.
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: The sound of the metal detector keeps ringing. Several flagpoles have been inserted in front, and the bomb is right there.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/dade10a28cef0c3595cb5bc82c58a725.jpg)
Laotian unexploded bomb disposal team member: Once again, no one is allowed to enter this area. We will destroy the bomb here.
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: Connect the buttons and wires together. Press both together.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/952341702b795608560290d1e4d3519c.jpg)
CCTV reporter Yang Tanli: Actually, there were already many sandbags piled up on top of the bomb, but at the moment of the explosion, the entire land was blasted open. Thick smoke flew to a high position.
In unexploded ordnance accidents, 24% of accidents occur while clearing bombs. Due to the complex terrain in the mountainous areas of Laos and limitations in manpower and funding, such bomb clearance work is expected to take another 100 years to complete.
![Chinese journalists visit densely populated areas with unexploded ordnance, which has caused about 50000 deaths. More than 80 million cluster bombs from the United States are left behind by Lao journalists | Laos | Cluster Bombs](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/35b5bf2cfb0f6488cbe6d7da9cc2f0af.jpg)