"At around 12:30 p.m. I was reclining on the couch and I noticed police taping off the street outside. Next thing -- bashing on the door."
A resident of East London was shocked when police aggressively knocked at her door Monday to tell her an unexploded bomb, dating from World War II, was discovered behind her home.
"I grabbed my keys and we had to walk several blocks away heading east," she told The Standard.
Police evacuated hundreds of residents from their home in Bethnal Green after the discovery of the 500-pound bomb at around 1 p.m. local time Monday.
Patrick Goulbourne from @LondonFire clarifies its a 500lb unexploded #WWIIBomb in #BethnalGreen @BBCLondon949 @Eds30 pic.twitter.com/gQIGVnlvZ0— Anna O'Neill (@Annareporting) August 10, 2015
The surrounding area was closed off. An evacuation centre was set up at a local school, filled with around 120 to 130 people from local homes and businesses, Tower Hamlets Council told Sky News.
Liz has been told to evacuate after unexploded #ww2bomb found under her house @BBCLondon949 @Eds30 pic.twitter.com/OBr6e1s9rb— Anna O'Neill (@Annareporting) August 10, 2015
Birds eye view of police evacuating houses just outside our balcony #bethnalgreen #ww2bomb pic.twitter.com/osm4Qw46E9— Oliver Robinson (@olijrobinson) August 10, 2015
@daam1428 Police say it'll be hours before people will be allowed back in their houses @BBCLondon949 @Annareporting pic.twitter.com/jn8080MEMA— Dayne Martin (@daam1428) August 10, 2015
On Tuesday morning, army bomb disposal experts were still working to defuse the bomb, while hundreds of residents remained locked out of their homes.
London Fire Brigade said in a statement that it was providing equipment and assistance to the operation, adding that it would likely be a "protracted" incident.
UPDATED 7:30 a.m. ET to reflect new information on Tuesday.