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WWII bombs force mass evacuation in Cologne, Germany
Cologne was subject to particularly heavy bombings during World War II, with unexploded artillery still posing a threat to the city. The bombs had been found during building work on Monday in the Deutz area on the east bank of the River Rhine read more
World War II-made bombs were defused in the German city of Cologne, prompting the evacuation of over 2,000 people. The operation is being dubbed the biggest bomb defusing exercise since the end of the war.
Authorities evacuated an area of around 10,000 sq m on Wednesday after the discovery of three American-made explosives in a shipyard in Deutz.
Cologne was subject to particularly heavy bombings during World War II, with unexploded artillery still posing a threat to the city. The bombs had been found during building work on Monday in the Deutz area on the east bank of the River Rhine.
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In 2017, authorities uncovered a 1.4-tonne bomb in Frankfurt, leading to the evacuation of 65,000 people, the biggest such evacuation in Europe since 1945. In 2021 four people were injured when a World War II bomb exploded at a building site near Munich's main railway station, scattering debris over hundreds of metres.
Roads, schools, and hospitals shut
Road and train lines were closed throughout the day, and city officials went door to door, sending about 20,500 people out of their homes and closing 58 hotels as well as numerous restaurants and businesses.
The city's typically busy streets were hauntingly empty as shops, restaurants, and businesses were ordered to cease operations during the day.
Cultural institutions, including the Philharmonic Hall and several museums, were also impacted, along with government buildings, 58 hotels, and nine schools.
Transportation faced major disruptions, with all roads in the area closed, many train services cancelled, and the Messe/Deutz train station shut down from 08:00 local time.
With inputs from agencies
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