Solomon Islands: Hidden WWII Bombs Found Decades Later

Here are the relevant facts from the provided text:

* Unexploded Ordnance: The Solomon Islands are heavily contaminated with unexploded bombs from World war II.
* Historical Context: Intense fighting between Japanese and allied forces (1942-1945) left behind a legacy of unexploded ordnance.
* Location of Bombs: Bombs are found under homes, schools, businesses, football fields, and gardens.
* Casualties: Dozens have been killed and many more wounded by these bombs since the war.
* Personal Experience: Bernadette Miller Wale played with bombs as a child, unaware of the danger, and now works to educate people about the risks after a deadly explosion near her home in 2021 killed two friends.
* Origin of Bombs: Of the 50,000 bombs destroyed in the last 14 years:
* Over two-thirds were of American origin.
* 17% were Japanese.
* 3% were from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, or other countries.
* Halo Trust: the Halo Trust, a global NGO, is working to map the Solomon Islands and identify bomb hotspots.
* Mapping Data:

* Red areas on maps indicate locations where unexploded ordnance has been found.
* Yellow dots represent locations where bombs have been found and destroyed by police (over 50,000 since 2011).
* Prevalence: It’s common to find evidence of unexploded ordnance – the density is described as like “seashells on a beach” in Honiara.
* Impact: Many Solomon Islanders have been personally affected by unexploded ordnance, either through injury, death of someone they know, or finding bombs on their property.
* Bloody Ridge: Efforts to establish a national park at Bloody Ridge (a major battle site) are hampered by the high concentration of unexploded bombs.