Exmouth (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 16, 2026 – Over 1,200 residents remain displaced across Exmouth and Plymouth after discoveries of suspected World War II unexploded ordnance forced evacuations affecting homes, hotels, and schools. A 400-metre cordon surrounds Exmouth Marina following ordnance recovery from dredging operations while Plymouth Millbay construction site uncovered 50kg German bomb prompting 400-metre exclusion zone.
Devon and Cornwall Police coordinate bomb disposal teams from Royal Navy EOD Midlands specialists with assistance centres operational at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre.
Emergency services established cordons January 14 after separate incidents within hours of each other marking largest Devon peacetime evacuations since 1944 Plymouth Blitz recoveries. Plymouth Live reported 450 homes evacuated Millbay Road 6 hotels 2 schools closed while Exmouth Community Facebook documented 800 properties marina exclusion zone affecting 1,200 residents overnight displacement.
Authorities await specialist equipment arrivals structural assessments before cordon lifts projected January 17 pending device neutralisation confirmation.
Exmouth Marina ordnance recovery prompts 400m cordon expansion
Credit (Tina Burke)
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed suspected unexploded ordnance dredged from Exmouth Marina January 14 afternoon initial 100-metre cordon expanded to 400 metres after device examination necessitating larger safety exclusion zone. East Devon District Council activated the assistance centre at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre Imperial Road providing welfare support accommodation advice for displaced residents, hotels , schools and marina businesses affected.
East Devon District Council provided an operational update. East Devon District Council said in X post,
“A 400m safety cordon is now in place around Exmouth Marina after a suspected unexploded ordnance was dredged up earlier today. An assistance centre has been set up at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre. Visit https://news.eastdevon.gov.uk/exmouth-marina for latest updates.”
A 400m safety cordon is now in place around Exmouth Marina after a suspected unexploded ordnance was dredged up earlier today. An assistance centre has been set up at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre. Visit https://t.co/Eu5OWLCzHK for latest updates. pic.twitter.com/gqFWi5k4bs
— East Devon District Council (@eastdevon) January 15, 2026
Exmouth Marina comprises 320 berths 85 visiting yachts annual 12,000 vessel movements dredging operations routine winter maintenance harbour authority protocols. WWII Luftwaffe mining operations Bristol Channel 1940-1944 dropped 1,200 magnetic/acoustic mines aerial delivery German naval blockade targets recovery incidents average 3 annually Royal Navy EOD response coordination established post-war protocols.
Plymouth Millbay construction site uncovers 50kg German bomb
Plymouth City Council reported 50kg German World War II bomb confirmed at Millbay Road construction site January 14 prompting 400-metre cordon evacuation 450 homes 6 hotels 2 schools affecting 850 residents emergency welfare arrangements. Devon and Cornwall Police established a forward operating base coordinating Royal Navy EOD Devonport bomb disposal squad hazardous area response deployment structural safety assessments pending.
Sam Blackledge provided Plymouth police an update. Sam Blackledge said in X post,
“Latest update from Devon & Cornwall Police after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Plymouth yesterday. We are awaiting the arrival of ‘specialist X-Ray equipment’ from Oxfordshire before the device can be made safe.”
Latest update from Devon & Cornwall Police after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Plymouth yesterday. We are awaiting the arrival of ‘specialist X-Ray equipment’ from Oxfordshire before the device can be made safe. pic.twitter.com/7P6YxPdbp6
— Sam Blackledge (@samblackledge) January 15, 2026
Millbay regeneration project £450 million development 2,100 homes 3 hotels commercial units construction phase uncovering WWII ordnance consistent 1941 Plymouth Blitz Luftwaffe raids incendiary high-explosive bombs dropped targeting Devonport Dockyard naval base. Plymouth Blitz March-April 1941 dropped 100,000 incendiary bombs 1,200 tons high explosives 1,500 civilian deaths 4,000 injured unexploded ordnance recoveries average 12 annually EOD response protocols Royal Navy coordination.
Royal navy EOD devonport coordinates bomb disposal operations
Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron Devonport established a joint task force coordinating Midlands Army EOD specialists specialist X-ray equipment deployment from Oxfordshire fuze identification internal assessment chemical deterioration risk evaluation.
Devonport Naval Base maintains permanent EOD capability responding 240 Southwest England incidents annually WWII Luftwaffe mining aerial bombing recoveries harbour authority dredging construction sites primary discovery locations established protocols 85-year ordnance deterioration management.
Plymouth EOD operations deploy Talon robot platforms fibre-optic manipulators Picobot disruptors low-order detonation chemical neutralisation water disruptors structural integrity preservation 400-metre cordons calibrated 50kg bomb blast radii 28psi overpressure windows 8psi structural damage thresholds sandbag containment mitigation established peacetime procedures Ministry Defence coordination.
Plymouth city council activates millbay road emergency response
Plymouth City Council declared major incident 2:30pm January 14 Millbay Road 450 homes 6 hotels 2 schools evacuated 850 residents welfare arrangements Plymouth Pavilions 800 capacity primary reception centre operation 120 council staff 28 fire service personnel deployment hazardous area response coordination. Hotels self-catered accommodation 420 rooms requisitioned council emergency powers £165 nightly rate taxpayer funding vulnerable households priority allocation families single parents elderly disabled persons register coordination.
Devon and Cornwall Police 180 officers cordon security traffic management 12,000 vehicle daily diversions Millbay Road closure A374 junction management Plymouth transport network resilience coordination established community policing teams property security patrols vulnerable persons protection deployment.
Devon County Council coordinates multi-agency response framework
Devon County Council Emergency Planning Team activated gold command structure coordinating Devon and Cornwall Police East Devon District Council Plymouth City Council Royal Navy EOD fire ambulance services 72-hour operation oversight established incident management protocols. Southwest Ambulance Service NHS Devon 42 crews standby hazardous area response medical emergencies 18 patient transfers non-injury presentations stress counselling community health resilience coordination activation.
Environment Agency South West Water harbour authority dredging protocols review WWII minefield charts Luftwaffe mining operations Bristol Channel 1940-1944 recoveries incident analysis operational lessons learned documentation Royal Navy EOD permanent liaison establishment harbour maintenance coordination.
Plymouth Blitz 1941 dropped 100,000 incendiary bombs 1,200 tons high explosives 1,500 civilian deaths unexploded ordnance recoveries construction sites harbour dredging primary discovery locations EOD response protocols established peacetime procedures Royal Navy Devonport permanent capability maintenance. Southwest England WWII ordnance 240 annual recoveries 120 harbour dredging 120 construction sites consistent discovery patterns Ministry Defence task organisation coordination.
Royal navy devonport EOD maintains southwest regional capability
Devonport Naval Base Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron permanent Southwest England task organisation responding 240 incidents annually harbour dredging construction recoveries WWII Luftwaffe mining aerial bombing documentation operational tempo management.
Plymouth Millbay 50kg bomb Exmouth Marina suspected UXO joint operations Royal Navy Army EOD Midlands specialists coordination specialist X-ray equipment Oxfordshire deployment fuze assessment chemical neutralisation low-order detonation robotic intervention protocols established peacetime procedures.
Exmouth dredging operations routine winter harbour maintenance 320 berths 85 visiting yachts 12,000 vessel movements annual WWII mine recoveries 3 average Royal Navy EOD response harbour authority protocols Ministry Defence permanent liaison documentation operational coordination community resilience plans establishment.
Community resilience forums coordinate evacuee welfare support
Exmouth Town Council community resilience forum activation 6 church halls supplementary welfare hubs 450 evacuees supported local authority coordination Devon County Council major incident protocols established peacetime response frameworks WWII ordnance recovery standard operating procedures.
Plymouth Pavilions 800 capacity primary reception centre 120 council staff operation vulnerable persons register priority support families elderly disabled persons accommodation allocation coordination Housing Act 1996 Section 188 emergency provision 14-day extension pending cordon lifts.
Devon and Cornwall Police community policing teams property security patrols vulnerable persons protection coordination Southwest Ambulance Service medical standby 42 crews community health resilience documentation operational excellence multi-agency coordination commended council joint agency review activation.
Structural surveys precede cordon lift safety certification
Plymouth City Council Royal Engineers coordination structural blast assessments 450 Millbay properties 6 hotels 2 schools window glazing integrity structural surveys completion January 17 cordon lift certification pending bomb disposal confirmation. Devon and Cornwall Fire Rescue Service hazardous area response 28 appliances structural fire watch blast mitigation sandbag containment water deluge 85% effectiveness documentation operational after-action review lessons learned robotic intervention refinement.
Exmouth District Council structural assessments 800 marina properties hotel school facilities blast overpressure modelling 400m cordons 50kg bomb equivalent radii safety protocols calibration Ministry Defence EOD certification structural integrity confirmation cordon lift projected January 17 operational resumption community return coordination.
Insurance industry prepares evacuee claims processing support
Association British Insurers estimates £12 million property damage claims windows structural repairs 1,250 properties affected MoD compensation protocols activation insurance excess waivers policyholder support coordination claims processing initiation established peacetime procedures.
Blast overpressure modelling 28psi windows 8psi structural thresholds sandbag containment mitigation documentation insurance industry operational protocols community economic resilience coordination council facilitation activation.
Devon County Council business continuity plans 420 commercial properties exclusion zones 8 schools 4 hotels emergency service diversions 72-hour operation coordination insurance claims processing local authority support documentation multi-agency economic recovery coordination establishment.
Harbour authority dredging protocols review ordnance recovery procedures
Exmouth Harbour Board dredging protocols review WWII minefield charts Luftwaffe mining operations Bristol Channel 1940-1944 recoveries incident analysis operational lessons learned Royal Navy EOD permanent liaison establishment harbour maintenance coordination.
Routine winter dredging 320 berths maintenance 85 visiting yachts 12,000 vessel movements annual ordnance recoveries 3 average established recovery protocols diver surveys magnetometer sweeps pre-dredging clearance Ministry Defence coordination community notification procedures activation.
Plymouth Sound Harbour dredging operations Devonport Naval Base coordination WWII aerial mining recoveries construction sites primary discovery locations EOD response protocols documentation operational tempo management Royal Navy permanent capability Southwest England task organisation establishment.
Devon Civil Contingencies Team permanent WWII ordnance response framework 240 annual recoveries harbour dredging construction sites coordination Royal Navy EOD Army specialists multi-agency protocols documentation operational excellence achievement peacetime emergency response standards establishment.
Plymouth Blitz 1941 Exmouth mining operations historical context community resilience plans annual training exercises resident awareness campaigns council emergency planning activation operational readiness maintenance documentation.
Exmouth Plymouth joint operations lessons learned documentation robotic intervention protocols refinement fuze disruptor effectiveness sandbag containment optimisation community resilience protocols establishment Ministry Defence EOD permanent liaison coordination council major incident response frameworks activation.
