Drought reveals large WWII-era British mine in Slovak riverbed

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — A record drought in Slovakia has exposed what officials described as the largest British aerial mine left over from World War II, after river and reservoir water levels dropped to unusually low levels. The munition, which had lain submerged or buried for more than 70 years, became visible along a waterway as drought conditions persisted across parts of central Europe. Slovak authorities established a security perimeter around the site, while explosive ordnance experts began work to assess the mine's condition and neutralize any risk. Similar discoveries of unexploded wartime munitions have been reported in recent years during heat waves and dry spells in Germany, Italy, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Experts said the ordnance did not always detonate on impact during the war and can remain triggerable decades later. They cautioned that the passage of time does not make the munitions safer, noting that corrosion and environmental exposure can make their components more sensitive. Officials said teams were continuing to evaluate the device and had not given a timeline for its removal.