Over the last years, specialists from international organizations have weekly gathered at a vast empty land in the central province of Quang Tri to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) dropped in the province during Vietnam War.

Every Friday, UXO (a term refers to explosive weapons like bombs, bullets, shells, grenades, land mines, and naval mines) collected in various places in Quang Tri are transported to the location for clearance.

According to local statistics, 391,500 hectares out of 461,297 hectares in Quang Tri have been polluted with UXO. However, only 2,300 to 2,500 hectares of them are cleared per year, a report said.

More than 2,600 people have been killed and nearly 5,000 injured by UXO since 1975 when the Vietnam War ended, said the provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Among the active organizations funding Vietnam to carry out mine clearance in Quang Tri is Peace Tree, a NGO consisting mostly of US war veterans. By far, Peace Tree has helped clear 422 acres of land and remove 45,557 ordnance items in the province.

An empty land covering thousands of hectares in Hai Duong commune, Hai Lang district is used to clear UXO.

A specialist checks detonators before activating them.

Employees from Peace Tree jointly carry a bomb that weighs hundreds of kilograms out of a truck.

Two specialists, who are in charge of detonating UXO, make their final check before activating the detonators.

UXO are buried deep underground. Hundreds of sandbags are placed around to reduce the amount of debris as much as possible.

A supervisor sounds an alarm, requiring all people to hide in safe areas before setting off the explosion.

A huge explosion heard, blowing thick plumes of smoke into the air.

Following the blast, local children flock to the bomb crater to collect scrap irons in order to earn some money.