News / Germany

Frankfurt to evacuate 60,000 to defuse WWII bomb

Friday, 01 September 2017 7:55 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 05 September 2017 12:41 PM ]

A blue tent covers a British World War II bomb that was found during construction work in Frankfurt am Main, in western Germany, August 30, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Some 60,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the center of the German city of Frankfurt as an operation is due in the city to defuse a bomb dating back to the World War II-era.

The 1.8-ton British bomb was found on a construction site on Wismarer Street close to the Goethe University Frankfurt compound on Tuesday, according to a Friday statement by Frankfurt police.

According to city councilor Markus Frank, the bomb contains 1.4 tons of explosives and its defusing process is expected to take about four hours.

The nickname ‘Blockbuster’ was given to bombs like the one found in Frankfurt during World War II for its capability to wipe out whole streets.

Evacuation operations are set to begin Sunday, with locals being advised to take necessary items such as medication and turn off all electrical and gas appliances.

“We are still working on the modalities of the evacuation plan,” said a spokeswoman for Frankfurt police.

Unexploded bombs dating back to the aerial bombing of Germany by the United Kingdom, the US, and Russia during World War II are still frequently found in Germany. As the country rebuilt its cities after the war, authorities did not have the time or the means to locate and dispose of many of the unexploded ordnance.

In May, German authorities evacuated around 50,000 people from their homes in Hanover to defuse a British-made bomb unearthed during construction work.

PressTV-WWII bombs evacuate 50,000 from Hanover

Some 50,000 people are ordered to evacuate Hanover as the German city prepares to defuse several bombs dating back to World War II.

On Christmas Day 2016, another 50,000 were evacuated from Augsburg in south Germany after a 1.8-ton bomb was found beneath an underground parking garage.

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