A bomb disposal expert
© Carlos Barria / Reuters
A suspicious bag left near the Beach Volleyball Arena in Copacabana has forced the partial evacuation of the area. Authorities deployed explosives experts and a robotic bomb detection unit to assess the threat, which was deemed a false alarm.

Armed Brazilian police and military sealed off the area in front of Copacabana beach at around 8:40pm local time (11:40pm GMT) after reports of a suspicious bag emerged.

A bomb disposal unit which arrived at the scene some 10 minutes later initially deployed a robotic unit to inspect what appeared to be a black backpack.

Brazil soldiers
© Carlos Barria / ReutersSoldiers stand in the road near to where bomb disposal experts were called to examine a suspect package next to the beach volleball arena during the opening ceremony.
After that the bag was inspected by an bomb disposal officer, before an all-clear was given about half an hour later.
Bomb disposal robot
© Carlos Barria / ReutersA robot removes a suspicious backpack, near Copacabana Beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil August 5, 2016.