Large evacuation in Cologne: bomb defusing concerns 20,000 people!

Large evacuation in Cologne: bomb defusing concerns 20,000 people!

Köln, Deutschland - in Cologne there is a state of emergency on June 4, 2025. The reason for this is the defusing of three World War II bombs that were discovered during construction work in the Deutz district. Over 20,000 people have to leave their apartments today, which has been the largest evacuation campaign in the city since the Second World War. The security measures are comprehensive: a radius of danger of 1,000 meters was set around the site of the bombs, which blocks large parts of the city center. Among other things, important cultural institutions such as the Museum Ludwig and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum are in the blocking area.

The measure also has an impact on long-distance and local transport. The Hohenzollern, Deutzer and Severinsbrücke are closed to traffic, and Cologne Messe/Deutz station is no longer available. Cologne traffic companies also warn of restrictions on their light rail and bus lines and advise the citizens to avoid the city center. The evacuation began this morning with a first round at 8 a.m., followed by a second round at 1:30 p.m. Deposits for the evacuated population were set up in exhibition hall 10.1 and in the Humboldtstraße vocational college, where psychosocial care is also provided.

RTL and other effects on the city

The bombing also has an impact on the RTL program. As T-Online is not reported today in Cologne. The news formats "Point 6", "Point 7", "Point 8" and "Point 12" are therefore broadcast from the capital. RTL Germany moved its employees to the mobile office, which creates additional inconvenience.

The security forces are active in the entire evacuation area and go from house to house to reach everyone. "We try everything to complete the measure as quickly and safely as possible," said a police spokesman. The protection could take until the evening, with the defusing of the bombs planned for Wednesday. However, the exact time has not yet been determined. In the meantime, the Rhine traffic is interrupted, since ships also have to create due to the measure.

public support and evacuated institutions

Particularly affected by the evacuation are institutions such as the Eduardus hospital, two nursing and old people's homes as well as nine schools and many kindergartens. The pressure to carry out such a large -scale evacuation should not be underestimated, and city administration and security forces are under high pressure to ensure the smooth process. The citizens' phones are available for questions at 0221/221-0 or 115.

The Cologne residents are required to act carefully and to respect the restricted zones. "This is a big challenge for the city, but the security of the citizens is the top priority," said a representative of the city. The defusing of these bombs is an exception, because around 1,500 to 2,000 bombs are found in North Rhine-Westphalia annually-around 200 of them with considerable explosive power. But in the densely populated city center, such an action represents a special challenge.

It is now being watched whether everything goes according to plan and the defusing can still be completed today. In the meantime, the city continuously informs about its website and social media about the developments of the measure.