WWII bombs found in European city force massive evacuation operation

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More than 20,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes on Wednesday in Germany after three World War II-era aerial bombs were discovered. The operation would take the bomb squad hours to complete their task.

The three bombs were found during exploratory work in the German city of Cologne on Monday, resulting in what officials called the largest evacuation of the city since the end of World War II, the Associated Press reported.

According to a news release by city officials, two American 20-hundredweight bombs and one American 10-hundredweight bomb with impact fuses needed to be defused.

This operation prompted the evacuation of 20,500 residents from their homes in order to prepare for the operation.

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The Düsseldorf district government’s explosive ordnance disposal service was activated to defuse the three 80-year-old bombs.

The evacuation also shut down numerous businesses, including the Eduardus Hospital, two retirement homes, the Cologne Messe/Deutz train station, schools and more.

Roadways were shut down and shipping lanes along the Rhine River were suspended.

Just after 7 p.m. local time, city officials posted on Facebook that the job was completed.

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“The three World War II bombs in Deutz have been defused. At 7:19 p.m., the three unexploded bombs that had paralyzed large parts of the city were defused,” the post read. “The closed streets and bridges are now gradually being reopened, and residents can return to their homes or are being brought back by ambulance or shuttle buses.”

According to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Cologne was a frequent target for Allied air raids, with the first of 262 happening on a May 17, 1940, Royal Air Force bombing mission.