Camilla Jessen
Large-scale evacuation prompted by bomb discovery.
In Osnabrück, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, the discovery of an unexploded bomb from World War II prompted a large-scale evacuation, directly impacting thousands of citizens.
The operation began after construction workers found a British five-hundred-pound bomb during excavation work near the Haste lock in the Hafen district.
Specialists plan to recover and safely defuse the bomb, necessitating the temporary relocation of approximately 2,600 residents.
The city administration of Osnabrück and emergency services responded swiftly to ensure public safety. According to NDR reports, the area around the site was completely cordoned off, and residents were instructed to evacuate their homes by no later than 9 a.m.
An evacuation center was established at the Piesberger Gesellschaftshaus, providing temporary shelter for those displaced by the operation until the bomb could be defused.
The city also implemented various communication measures to keep the population informed and supported. Hotlines were established for general inquiries and specifically for arranging patient transport, catering to those in particular need of assistance.
Defusing the bomb carries considerable risks. If a safe recovery is deemed impossible, a controlled underwater detonation may be considered.
The timeline for these measures is currently uncertain.