Two southern Catalonia farmers stumble upon five Spanish Civil War-era bombs

Two farmers in southern Catalonia's Terra Alta county made a surprising discovery a couple of weeks ago on what was meant to be an ordinary day at work: three shells and two mortar grenades dating, of course, back to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Southern Catalonia was the site of the deadly Ebre river battle.

The farmers alerted the Spanish Guardia Civil police to their discovery, who in turn cordoned off the area for safety purposes and assessed their findings.

The bombs were very rusty after being exposed to the elements for over eight decades, making them exceedingly dangerous if handled improperly. Because of this, they were taken to a safe place far from people, animals, and buildings to be detonated in controlled explosions.

Most of the Civil War-era bombs found these days are still active as their explosive components remain intact, making them incredibly unsafe to handle given the lack of preservation efforts over the decades. 

Authorities strongly advise against handling any such devices and stress that it is illegal to own, collect, sell, or buy Civil War-era explosive devices or munition. If found, police should be notified immediately.