State of emergency in Cologne: 20,000 people evacuated due to bomb defusal!

State of emergency in Cologne: 20,000 people evacuated due to bomb defusal!

An extraordinary state of emergency has occurred in Cologne today. Three American World War II bombs were discovered in the Deutz district, triggering the largest evacuation operation in the city since 1945. Around 20,000 people have to move out of their apartments in the city center as the city responds with lockdowns and security measures. The evacuations began at 8am this morning and are expected to take many hours before the bombs are defused. The danger zone extends over a radius of 1000 meters around the site, which affects large parts of Cologne city center, both to the right and left of the Rhine. Numerous institutions are particularly affected, including educational institutions, retirement homes and large parts of the popular shopping streets. Regions such as the old town, where there are numerous museums and restaurants, are particularly struggling with the challenges of the closures.

Rumors about the sudden end to events quickly spread. A concert by the WDR Symphony Orchestra in the Philharmonie was canceled, and the appearance of comedian Tedros “Teddy” Teclebrhan in the Lanxess Arena also had to be postponed to Sunday. No fewer than 15 weddings in the historic town hall were relocated to Porz. Many couples were suddenly faced with the challenge of having to change their plans at short notice. The RTL team has relocated its live broadcasts to Berlin and is now working in the mobile office, while the public is provided with information via a citizen telephone on 0221/221-0 or 115.

Closures and security precautions

Deutsche Bahn is currently struggling with significant restrictions on local and long-distance transport. The stop in Cologne Deutz/Tief is canceled and trains have to be rerouted. The Hohenzollern Bridge will remain open during the defusing, but this will affect accessibility to Cologne Central Station. Transport companies such as the Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB) have taken measures that have an impact on the light rail lines and numerous bus lines. The authorities' recommendation to avoid the city center should be urgently heeded, both for the safety of citizens and to maintain much-needed order.

The find itself included two 20-cannon American bombs and a 10-candy bomb, all with impact detonators. Such unexploded bombs are a well-known problem in North Rhine-Westphalia, where between 1,500 and 2,000 bombs are found every year. Of these, around 200 are extremely explosive. However, a defusing of this kind in a densely populated city center is not an everyday occurrence, which is why the safety of the population is the top priority. Defusing can only take place once the entire area is deserted, which presents a complex challenge for such a large evacuation.

Preparing for evacuation

The city of Cologne has set up two central contact points to offer evacuees some relief. These are located in exhibition hall 10.1 on the right side of the Rhine and in the vocational college on Humboldtstrasse on the left side of the Rhine. Seating, drinks and sanitary facilities are available in these facilities. Paramedics and psychosocial support are also on site to support people in this tense situation.

Defusing such a bomb is always a delicate undertaking and the city administration has assured that it will keep citizens updated on the progress of the measures via its website and social media. This information is particularly important because the uncertainty about the timing of defusing and the subsequent lifting of the closures affects the planning not only of emergency responders, but also of the remaining residents and business owners.

So what's happening in Cologne remains exciting, and all eyes are on the bodies responsible for people's safety. During these traffic disruptions and closures, the old saying “There is strength in calm” proves to be advisable. Since 1945, Cologne residents have had to deal with such extreme situations, and today it shows once again how important good preparation and community cohesion are. Information on the current state of affairs is continuously available on the DW website Tagesschau and 24rhein.