Cologne in a state of emergency: Huge evacuation due to bomb discovery!

Cologne in a state of emergency: Huge evacuation due to bomb discovery!

Cologne is facing one of the largest evacuations in recent years, triggered by the discovery of three World War II bombs. The explosive devices, two American 20-pound bombs and a ten-pound bomb, were discovered on Monday, June 2, 2025, in the Deutz district. The defusal is planned for Wednesday, June 4th, which is why an evacuation radius of 1000 meters has been set around the site. This affects the safety of around 20,000 people in the area, many of whom are already being moved to emergency accommodation. According to wa.de, in addition to private apartments, critical infrastructure is also affected, including the Eduardus Hospital and several nursing and retirement homes.

The evacuation causes extensive road closures, especially in Cologne's old town, which for a change is not only a tourist magnet, but also affected. The Severins Bridge, the Deutzer Bridge and the Hohenzollern Bridge will be closed, as will the Messe/Deutz train station and important KVB lines. Traffic chaos in the city center is likely to occur on Wednesday when the first bell tours begin at 8 a.m. What is particularly noteworthy is that the RTL programs “Point 6” and “Point 7” are broadcast live from Deutz, while the program “Point 8” is canceled. Most employees will work from a mobile office. Cologne's old town is also home to 58 accommodation establishments, whose future is uncertain in the coming days.

These areas are affected

The evacuation orders affect a variety of facilities:

• Drei Brücken: Severinsbrücke, Deutzer Brücke, Hohenzollernbrücke
• Eduardus-Krankenhaus sowie zwei Pflege- und Altenheime
• Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel, insbesondere KVB-Linien 1, 7, 9
• Bahnhof Messe/Deutz und Stadthaus Deutz – Westgebäude
• 58 Beherbergungsbetriebe in der Altstadt
• Neun Schulen sowie diverse Kitas

In addition, affected residents must take their documents, medication, baby food and other essential items with them. Pets are not allowed in the contact points that will respond to these challenges. A first point of contact in the gymnasium of the Humboldstrasse vocational college offers space for a hundred or more and is the only place of refuge for many residents during the evacuation. The fact that there is such a wave of support from the Cologne fire department and the public order office is a ray of hope in an otherwise chaotic environment.

The procedure for disposing of explosive ordnance

It became necessary to defuse the bombs when they were accidentally discovered during construction work. As wdr.de reports, one of the bombs was discovered during work in downtown Cologne, which led to the immediate evacuation of the area. In such cases, the explosive ordnance disposal service of the Düsseldorf district government first confirms the nature of the unexploded bomb and works closely with various heroes in the city to quickly bring the situation under control. These preventative measures are crucial because the risk of impact detonators requires quick action and the cooperation of many experts. Depending on the condition and type of detonator, defusing or even a controlled explosion may be necessary.

It will be a busy Wednesday for many Cologne residents, but safety is the top priority. We will keep you updated on developments and provide important information about road closures and city services. The city of Cologne will communicate the details promptly and thus help to reassure the affected residents. The battle between past and present continues, and it is to be hoped that this short but intense intervention will soon be a thing of the past.