CHF 2bn bill for clearing lake of bombs

Tuesday, 23 May 2023 06:30

It could cost as much as two billion francs to clear Lake Geneva of dumped munitions.

There are thought to be thousands of bombs, artillery shells and bullets sitting at the bottom of the lake.

It’s uncertain how much is there. Estimates range from 150 to 1,000 tonnes. The explosives were dumped between the 1940s and right up to the eighties.

A study last year says the munitions are stable and very unlikely to be a risk. But there are still 700 suspected sites yet to be analysed. Divers report they’ve have detected more than 3,000 magnetic signals.

The water has also been checked, and there are no signs of contamination. But a final decision on whether the sites need to be cleared has yet to be taken.

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