Several suspected Second World War bombs have emerged from the bed of the River Danube near Érd, south of Budapest, after the prolonged drought caused water levels to fall to record lows.
In a Facebook post published on Wednesday, Érd Mayor László Csőzik urged residents to avoid the section of the Danube riverbank at the end of Molnár Street, where one of the suspected explosive devices is protruding around 20–30 centimetres above the water.
Area secured after discovery
According to the mayor, the suspicious objects were discovered by a local field warden. Municipal wardens, assisted by volunteer civil guards, immediately secured the area before police officers also arrived at the scene. The Hungarian Defence Forces’ bomb disposal unit was subsequently notified.
Csőzik noted that the exceptionally low water level has exposed suspected wartime explosives at several locations across Hungary, placing bomb disposal teams under considerable pressure.
Bomb disposal experts identifying the devices
Sándor Hadházi, press officer for the Hungarian Defence Forces’ 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal and River Guard Regiment, told the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) that the site has been secured and specialists are currently working to identify the object that surfaced from the riverbed.
At present, no public protection measures or movement restrictions have been introduced for local residents, he added.
If you missed it: Public safety crisis? Budapest leaders call for immediate intervention from government
