Over 20,000 Evacuated in Cologne After Bomb Discovered

More than 20,000 people were evacuated from the center of Cologne on Wednesday after three American bombs from World War II were found buried near a busy construction site, authorities confirmed to Digi24.

The bombs are relics of U.S. airstrikes during the war. They were discovered Monday and triggered a swift and extensive safety operation that affected residents, businesses, and key infrastructure.

The operation is now considered the largest evacuation in Cologne since the war ended.

A City on Pause

Starting at 8:00 a.m. local time, officials began clearing a 1,000-meter evacuation zone, covering much of the bustling city center.

The area included hospitals, two nursing homes, nine schools, museums, and 58 hotels that were occupied by both locals and tourists.

Municipal authorities estimated that around 20,500 people were directly impacted by the evacuation, with the city urging everyone to vacate their homes and workplaces for the day to ensure bomb disposal teams could work safely.

“All those involved hope that the decontamination can be completed during the day,” the city’s emergency services said in a statement.

Widespread Disruption

The scale of the operation also brought major disruptions to public transport, especially in the rail sector.

Germany’s national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, announced several train cancellations and diversions, warning that both regional and national services would be affected throughout the day.

Local officials called for calm and cooperation as bomb disposal teams worked to neutralize the explosives.

All three bombs were reportedly in stable condition, though still highly dangerous if disturbed.