Evacuation in Cologne: 20,500 people affected by bomb discovery!

Evacuation in Cologne: 20,500 people affected by bomb discovery!

Cologne is currently upside down because an urgent evacuation is imminent. Around 20,500 citizens have to prepare for June 4th, when the city's largest evacuation measure since the end of the Second World War will take place. The reason for this? On June 2nd, three World War II bombs were discovered that require urgent defusing. This reports star.

The explosive relics include two 20-pound American bombs and a 10-pound bomb, all with impact detonators. The explosive ordnance disposal service will take care of the defusing. A danger zone of 1,000 meters is set up around the site. The evacuation means that hotels, restaurants and numerous other facilities in this radius must be evacuated. In fact, 58 hotels and accommodation establishments fall within the restricted area, which means a significant intervention in local tourism, as the WDR reported.

Evacuation measures and reporting

The evacuation will take effect from 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4th. The city of Cologne must ensure that everyone affected leaves the restricted area in a timely manner, otherwise the police could intervene and force eviction. There are contact points in the city for citizens who need support: on the right bank of the Rhine in exhibition hall 10.1 and on the left bank of the Rhine in the Humboldtstrasse vocational college. However, pets are not allowed, which poses challenges for some pet owners.

In order to inform citizens about this situation, WDR is broadcasting several special editions of its “WDR aktuell” format. The first special broadcast starts at 8:00 a.m. and is followed by further editions at 10:00 a.m. and 1:50 p.m. RTL and n-tv are also on site and reporting on the situation. RTL is even moving several live broadcasts to Berlin and has a large part of its employees working from the mobile office, while n-tv begins production in Cologne-Ossendorf from 8:00 a.m.

Impairments in the transport network

The evacuation also has a profound impact on traffic. Deutsche Bahn has already reported that there will be significant disruption to long-distance traffic due to the defusing. Trains to and from Cologne Deutz are canceled, especially during the evacuation. In addition, the Hohenzollern Bridge will be closed to traffic, and several light rail lines and bus connections will also have to give way. Cologne transport companies (KVB) expect massive restrictions on local public transport and advise avoiding the city center area on Wednesday if possible.

The people of Cologne are preparing for a day of big changes and have to be patient. Because once the bombs have been defused, it remains uncertain when the closures can be lifted again. The city has set up a citizens' telephone number that can be reached from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for information on 0221/221-0 or 115.

Overall, it is clear that even more than 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the effects of the conflict still reverberate today. The city of Cologne and its citizens are facing a demanding challenge, but they have also proven that they are capable of finding solutions together. We will continue to keep you updated as this critical situation develops.