SINGAPORE - A projectile, believed to be a war relic, was discovered outside a temple construction site in Geylang early on Monday morning (April 19).

The police said that they were alerted to the discovery of the projectile at 8.23am on Monday outside Lin San Temple, which is located at 27 Lorong 12 Geylang.

They are currently working with the Singapore Armed Forces' Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to arrange for the safe disposal of the projectile.

Operations are ongoing, said the police.

"The public is advised not to be alarmed and to avoid the site at Lorong 12 Geylang until further notice," they added.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported on Monday that the site was cordoned off after a construction worker had found the war relic and called the police.

It added that more than 100 people from neighbouring shophouses had quickly evacuated in the light of the discovery.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for one of the neighbours, Muslim voluntary welfare organisation Jamiyah Singapore, said that about 44 staff were evacuated from its headquarters located at 31 Lorong 12 Geylang.

Most of the staff were asked to work from home, while a few key staff were allowed to re-enter the building at 2.30pm after receiving clearance from the police, she said.

Its prayer space in the building is currently not open to the public, she added.

The Pu Ji Si Buddhist Research Centre is also located within the cordoned-off area but did not respond to a request for comments.

This is not the first time that a war relic has been found in the vicinity.

In July 2019, a suspected World War II bomb, around 30cm in length, was discovered by a worker digging the grounds of a half-constructed building in Lorong 23 Geylang, near the Aljunied MRT station.

Another bomb was also found on a patch of grass at the junction of Lorong 22 Geylang and Guillemard Road in 2012.