Nagasaki Marks 68th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing

{{Nagasaki on Friday marked the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing by the United States during World War II that turned the Japanese city into an inferno.}}

Tens of thousands gathered to remember the more than 70,000 people who died instantly in the blast, or of the after effects in the months and years after the bombing, which hit Nagasaki at 11:02 am local time (0202 GMT).

Bells tolled as ageing survivors, relatives, government officials and foreign delegates observed a moment of silence at the time of detonation.

The bombing of Nagasaki came three days after the first ever atomic blast at Hiroshima, which claimed about 140,000 lives in all. Hiroshima held its own remembrance ceremonies earlier this week.

“We hold the responsibility to realise a world free of nuclear weapons and pass on to the next generation and to the world the inhumane nature” of atomic weapons, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the ceremony.