Cologne shock: 20,000 have to flee because of bomb evacuation!

Cologne shock: 20,000 have to flee because of bomb evacuation!

Today, June 4, 2025, Cologne is experiencing a state of emergency as the largest evacuation since the Second World War has begun. The reason for this is three American World War II bombs, including two 20-hundredweight bombs and one 10-hundredweight bomb, which were discovered in the Deutz district. Around 20,000 people are affected and had to leave their homes, while large parts of Cologne city center and almost the entire Deutz district are being evacuated. In this critical situation, numerous facilities are also affected, such as the Eduardus Hospital and many nursing and retirement homes. Important transport connections, such as the Hohenzollern, Deutzer and Severins bridges, are also affected by closures.

The evacuation measures came into force at 8 a.m. and this meant hectic scenes for the RTL broadcast center in the old Cologne exhibition halls. During a live broadcast of “Point 7”, the presenters Jan Malte Andresen and Vanessa Civiello had to announce live that they had to leave the studio. Both were prepared for the scenario and had already packed travel bags ready in the studio. RTL had announced in advance that it would have to completely vacate the broadcasting center and changed its programming. While “Point 6” and “Point 7” were still broadcast live from Cologne, “Point 8” no longer took place and the news formats “Point 12”, “RTL Aktuell” and “RTL Nachtjournal” were broadcast from Berlin. Many station employees worked from home that day.

The extent of the evacuation

The evacuation includes not only residential buildings, but also numerous hotels and cultural institutions. A total of 58 hotels and numerous restaurants in the evacuation area are affected. This also includes the Ludwig and Wallraf-Richartz museums. The Cologne transport company is warning of massive disruptions to city traffic and is preparing for the impact on numerous light rail and bus lines. If you want to go downtown today, you should think carefully about whether that is the best plan. Access is still available at Cologne main station, but there is no connection from Deutz.

Defusing the bombs also brings with it uncertainty. The exact times for the defusing and subsequent lifting of the closures are currently still open. However, there is positive news: According to Kai Kulschewski, head of explosive ordnance disposal at the Düsseldorf district government, the unexploded bombs are bombs with impact detonators, which are considered less dangerous than long-term detonators that work with acid. There is no known case of a self-detonation in North Rhine-Westphalia, which should calm the nerves of the people of Cologne because there is no need to panic.

We are prepared

The city of Cologne has taken comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of citizens. Contact points for evacuees are exhibition hall 10.1 on the right bank of the Rhine and the vocational college on Humboldtstrasse on the left bank of the Rhine. A citizen hotline has been set up to provide information to affected residents. It should be noted that pets are not allowed into the evacuation areas. How the situation will develop remains to be seen, but the people of Cologne are sticking together and can be sure that everything is being done to ensure everyone's safety. During these critical hours, it is important to stay informed and follow the advice of authorities.

For additional information on this dramatic situation in Cologne you can see the respective reports ksta.de, wdr.de, and tagesschau.de track.