Following the discovery of three unexploded bombs, preparations are underway in Cologne for the city's largest bomb disposal operation since World War II. According to the city administration, roadblocks and the evacuation of the restricted area began on Wednesday morning. More than 20,000 people, including numerous working people, are affected by the evacuation. The city called it the largest evacuation in Cologne since the end of World War II.
The reason for the large-scale operation is the discovery of three unexploded aerial bombs. The unexploded bombs were discovered on Monday during exploratory work in the Deutz district on the right bank of the Rhine. They are two 20-ton bombs and one 10-ton bomb of US design.
The exact time of the bomb disposal was initially unclear. "All those involved hope that the defusing can be completed during the course of Wednesday," the city said in a statement. This would only be possible "if all those affected leave their homes or workplaces in a timely manner."
Significant road and rail traffic disruptions are expected in Cologne throughout the day. The closures will affect three Rhine bridges and important traffic routes, including the southern rail service to the main station.
The 1,000-meter exclusion zone includes Cologne's Old Town, 58 hotels, several schools, a hospital, nursing homes, daycare centers, as well as businesses and event venues. Large parts of the city administration building must also be evacuated.
Two accommodations have been set up for affected residents with no alternative - on the left bank of the Rhine in a vocational school, and on the right bank in a hall belonging to the trade fair operator Koelnmesse.
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