Thousands of WWII-era munitions found under water in survey of Southern California dump site

By ROBERT JABLON
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Researchers say underwater dump sites off the Los Angeles coast contain thousands of World War II-era munitions including depth charges and smoke devices. Results of an April survey of the sites were announced Friday. The survey concluded that tens of thousands of mysterious boxes and barrels found on the sea floor in a 2021 study held munitions rather than DDT and other toxic chemicals. The Navy says dumping unused munitions from returning ships was considered safe practice at the time. The debris is found in areas known to have been industrial dumping grounds for decades, sparking health and environmental concerns. High levels of DDT have been detected in the area’s marine mammals, and the chemical has been linked to cancer in sea lions.