Asylum seekers and staff at the Nauru detention centre were evacuated after construction workers found unexploded ordnance at the site of a new building for refugees.
Guardian Australia understands that a device was discovered by one of the contractors tasked to build the new refugee settlement at refugee processing centre 3 (RPC3). Asylum seekers and staff at RPC3 were evacuated on Tuesday while the risks were assessed.
As part of the Australian and Nauruan government’s plans to move to open centre arrangements, a number of construction programs are under way.
Nauru was occupied by the Japanese during the second world war and unexploded bombs have been found from time to time on the island over the last 70 years.
A spokeswoman for the immigration department said: “The department is aware of an unexploded ordnance discovered at the Nauru RPC3 today.
“The ordnance was safely removed from site without incident.”
It is not the first time unexploded ordnance has been discovered at the detention centre. Guardian Australia reported in April 2014 that internal emails revealed that an artillery shell was found next to the recreation tent that was previously used as a primary school.
The immigration email outlined the continuing risks of unexploded ordnance (UXOs) and said: “No one has been able to give assurances the area ... was adequately checked for UXOs.”
The office of then immigration minister Scott Morrison said the was aware of the UXO but said the department would review the need for a more detailed UXO survey.
Similar concerns were also raised at the Manus Island detention centre, where a number of UXOs were discovered in the early days of establishing the facilities.
