Berlin
Nearly 13,000 residents from an upscale neighborhood of Frankfurt have been told to leave their homes so the bomb can be made safe. A 700-meter exclusion zone has been set up around the discovery site.
Thousands of residents from the Gallus district of Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt, were told to leave their homes in preparation for the safe removal of a British 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) World War II bomb on Sunday.
Almost 13,000 people living in the upscale neighborhood close to the city center began leaving their apartments at 8 a.m. local time (0700 UTC/GMT).
Discoveries like this are regular occurrences all over Germany, including a so-called earthquake bomb found in October near the German-Polish border.
Those affected by Sunday’s evacuation include the residents of several retirement homes along with facilities belonging to the state rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB)
The company warned of delays and the rerouting of several long-distance and regional train services, especially between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Residents who have no alternative accommodation until Sunday evening were advised to move to a nearby exhibition hall.
Officials warned that due to social distancing rules because of the coronavirus pandemic, the defusing could last into the evening.
The unexploded bomb was discovered on Thursday on a construction site. The local fire brigade said the size and design of the explosive could create massive damage and be a danger to life.
Authorities have set up a 700-meter (0.43 mile) exclusion zone around the area. Frankfurt was regularly bombed by Allied forces during the Second World War, which destroyed the largest medieval city in Germany, and killed more than 5,000 people.—AFP
