20,000 residents evacuated in Cologne due to WWII bomb
BERLIN - The Associated Press
Worker operates an excavator at a place near Muehlheim Bridge where a World War II bomb was unearthed in Cologne, western Germany, on May 27, 2015. AFP Photo
Some 20,000 residents in the western German city of Cologne are being forced to evacuate their homes after authorities discovered a 200-kilogram bomb from World War II.Schools and kindergartens remained closed and dozens of ambulances were on the scene to evacuate residents of a nursing home.
The deactivation of the bomb, which was found near Muelheim bridge crossing the Rhine River, was planned for Wednesday afternoon. City officials said in a statement that during this time the river would be closed for shipping and the air space would be closed too.
Even 70 years after the end of World War II, unexploded bombs are still found relatively frequently in Germany, generally during construction in major cities.
Cologne was a regular target for Allied bombers during the war.