Three World War II bombs in Cologne-Deutz: evacuation of 20,000 residents!

Three World War II bombs in Cologne-Deutz: evacuation of 20,000 residents!

Cologne-Deutz is facing a serious challenge: three World War II bombs were discovered during exploratory work on Monday. These are located in the immediate vicinity of the banks of the Rhine in Deutz and directly affect the residents and the city's infrastructure. How ksta.de According to reports, these are two American bombs each weighing 20 hundredweight and another weighing 10 hundredweight, all equipped with impact detonators.

The defusing of these dangerous remnants of the Second World War is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The danger area, which is cordoned off with a radius of 1,000 meters around the site of the discovery, affects around 20,000 people. Many residents have to leave their homes, while critical facilities, such as Eduardus Hospital and several care facilities, are in the evacuation zone and require special attention.

Evacuation measures and road closures

To ensure safety during the defuse, road closures will begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, like t-online.de reported. All measures are coordinated in close cooperation between the explosive ordnance disposal service of the Düsseldorf district government and the Cologne city public order office. For residents and commuters, the city departments will provide detailed information about traffic restrictions, which will be available on the City of Cologne website.

There is significant infrastructure in the evacuation area that will not be accessible during defusal. These include the Severins Bridge, the Deutzer Bridge, the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Rhine as an important waterway. Southern train traffic to Cologne Central Station, various KVB lines and facilities such as schools, daycare centers, the Lanxessarena and the town hall are also affected.

The explosive ordnance disposal service

Explosive ordnance disposal in Germany not only involves defusing bombs, but also ensuring public safety. How Wikipedia As explained, such operations are secured through a precise approach that includes historical exploration and risk assessment. The experts use aerial photos and archives to locate the locations of explosive ordnance. The subsequent evacuation takes place in several steps: from the use of geophysical detectors to the recovery of the source of danger. Accurate planning and coordination are essential to not only safely defuse the bombs, but also to avoid secondary damage.

The situation in Cologne-Deutz raises awareness of how important explosive ordnance disposal is and that the legacies of war can still have an influence on daily life. It remains to be hoped that the defusing will go smoothly and that residents will soon be able to return to their everyday lives.