Experts with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre on Sunday afternoon recovered an unexploded 227-kilogram bomb after it was discovered by residents in Kandal province’s Kbal Koh village.

The ordnance was identified by the experts as an MK-82 bomb made in the United States, and was found buried in the riverbank of the Tonle Bassac river, said Sa Ravoan, deputy police chief in Kandal’s Sa’ang. Immediately after the group of people discovered the bomb, they notified CMAC to extract the ordnance from the site.

An excavator was used to unearth the device, which was taken for storage in a safe place at a military training ground in Kampong Chhnang province.

Experts believe the bomb was dropped during the 1970s, Ravoan said.

"Its quality has not worn off yet, and it could explode if it collided with a hard object," he said.