About 20,000 residents in the western German city of Cologne had to evacuate their homes on Wednesday after authorities discovered a 200kg bomb from the second World War.
Schools and kindergartens were closed and dozens of ambulances were on the scene to evacuate residents of a nursing home. The bomb, which was found near Muelheim bridge crossing the Rhine River, was then successfully deactivated.
While the operation was taking place the city’s river was closed for shipping and its air space was closed.
Even 70 years after the end of the second World War, unexploded bombs are found relatively frequently in Germany, generally during construction in major cities. Cologne was a regular target for Allied bombers during the war.
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PA