Officials evacuate 16,000 from Tokyo suburb to defuse WWII-era bomb

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) - Authorities evacuated more than 16,000 residents from a Tokyo suburb Sunday morning while they defused a one-ton unexploded World War II-era bomb.

Officials believe the bomb was on a B-29 bomber that crashed in Chofu, a western suburb of Tokyo, in the waning days of the war 63 years ago.

It was discovered in late March about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) underground near a farm in Chofu.

On Sunday, authorities evacuated residents and hospital patients as members of Japan's Self Defense Force worked to defuse the rusty bomb, said city official Kazuyuki Ogikubo. They piled sandbags around the site of the bomb, blocking rail tracks and temporarily suspending services.

The Self Defense Force preserves public order in Japan.