Germany Gears Up for Largest WWII Evacuation After Bombs Discovered
(MENAFN) Cologne is initiating its largest evacuation since World War II after three unexploded bombs were uncovered in the Deutz district. Bomb disposal teams are preparing to neutralize two 20-ton and one 10-ton bombs, all equipped with impact fuses, according to a public broadcaster.
The evacuation affects a wide area covering significant parts of the city center and old town, forcing the shutdown of 58 hotels, major museums, schools, kindergartens, and government offices.
Critical infrastructure, including the Hohenzollern, Deutz, and Severins bridges spanning the Rhine River, has been closed, as has the Cologne Messe/Deutz train station.
Deutsche Bahn has issued warnings about severe service interruptions, suspending the ICE Sprinter route between Cologne and Berlin and some connections to Stuttgart. Train services are being rerouted, with delays reaching up to 10 minutes.
Evacuation efforts and closures commenced at 8 a.m. local time, with police authorized to remove any individuals refusing to evacuate.
To assist those displaced, the city established two emergency shelters at Exhibition Hall 10.1 and Humboldtstrasse Vocational College, noting that pets are prohibited in these centers.
Leading companies such as RTL Deutschland have transitioned to remote work, temporarily relocating live broadcasts to Berlin.
The precise schedule for the bomb disposal operation remains unclear.
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