Cologne sounds the alarm: mega evacuation planned because of World War II bombs!

Cologne sounds the alarm: mega evacuation planned because of World War II bombs!

Preparations are underway in Cologne for the largest evacuation since the Second World War. On June 2nd, three bombs from the Second World War were discovered during exploratory work in Cologne-Deutz: two 20-pound bombs and one ten-pound bomb, all of which were equipped with impact detonators. This is reported, among others, by the city of Cologne, which is also planning to defuse the situation on Wednesday, June 4th. The upcoming evacuation affects around 20,500 people, including residents and professionals who will be within a 1,000 meter radius of the site. Stuttgart News reports that a danger zone is being set up that includes extensive areas of Cologne's old town and numerous facilities.

Where to go with the people? The city is taking action here: two contact points for those affected without private accommodation will be running from 8 a.m. in exhibition hall 10.1 for residents on the right bank of the Rhine and in the Humboldtstrasse vocational college, Pearlgraben 101 branch, for those on the left bank of the Rhine. A shuttle service will also be set up to ensure easy accessibility. Emergency shelters and a citizen hotline are available to answer questions and offer support. Information is available via a hotline and online on the city websites.

The impacts go far beyond the evacuation. RTL Deutschland has already announced that it will change its operations. From 8 a.m. the RTL building will be sealed off while around 4,500 employees will be relocated to the mobile office. Live broadcasts, such as the early magazines “Point 6” and “Point 7”, are broadcast from Cologne-Deutz. Meanwhile, “Point 8” is replaced by a repetition of “Good Times, Bad Times.” N-tv, on the other hand, only starts its program from 8 a.m. in Cologne-Ossendorf. WDR has also reported that public transport will also be affected.

Public transport and city life

Deutsche Bahn has to accept restrictions on long-distance traffic from 8 a.m. The Cologne-Deutz/Tief stop will be temporarily closed and cancellations and diversions are also expected for trains between Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. The Cologne transport company (KVB) expects massive disruptions to city traffic. Buses and light rail vehicles pass through the affected area but do not stop. Lines 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 14 and 17 will be severely affected. To ensure everyone's safety, the KVB recommends avoiding the city center area on Wednesday.

A comprehensive security concept is currently being drawn up. The Hohenzollern Bridge will be closed from the start of the defusing, and access to Cologne Central Station from the direction of Deutz will not be possible until the closure is lifted. In addition, 58 hotels, numerous restaurants and various educational institutions, including nine schools and many daycare centers, have to be evacuated. RTL's foreign program, which cannot be broadcast live from Cologne, is broadcast alternately from Berlin. City of Cologne emphasizes that this is an unprecedented situation.

The bombs are expected to be defused on Wednesday, June 4th. The planning takes into account not only safety, but also the well-being of the citizens affected. Unique in Cologne's history, this evacuation will demand everything from everyone involved - a challenge that the city administration and the aid organizations want to overcome together.