In one of the largest postwar evacuations in its history, the city of Cologne in Germany is relocating over 20,000 people after three massive unexploded bombs from World War II were discovered in a shipyard.

Bomb discoveries aren’t rare in Germany where remnants of Allied air raids still turn up during construction. (Image Credit: X)

The American-made bombs prompted emergency officials to seal off a 1,000-meter (3,280-foot) radius in the heart of the city, affecting parts of both the Old Town and Deutz. Following this, authorities are conducting “the largest operation since the end of World War II” under which businesses, hotels, schools and even hospitals have been ordered to evacuate.

The German city of Cologne launched its largest evacuation since World War II on Wednesday after three unexploded US bombs were discovered in its Deutz district.

More than 20,000 residents within a 1,000-meter radius have been ordered to leave their homes, while large parts of the inner city have been sealed off to ensure the safe defusal of the ordnance, according to the City of Cologne.

“The timeline depends entirely on the success of the evacuation,” said Kai Kulschewski, head of ordnance disposal for the Dusseldorf district government. Authorities began erecting roadblocks and inspecting properties early Wednesday. Once the area is fully cleared, bomb disposal experts will begin defusal efforts, though no exact start time has been set.

The evacuation zone includes a hospital, two senior care facilities, several museums, and the headquarters of German broadcaster RTL. While Cologne Cathedral and the main train station are outside the danger zone, the adjacent Hohenzollern Bridge – Germany’s busiest rail bridge – is affected.

Deutsche Bahn warned of major disruptions to regional and long-distance train services across North Rhine-Westphalia. Cologne Messe/Deutz station has been closed, and train traffic across the bridge will be fully suspended once defusal work begins, cutting access to Cologne Central Station from the east.

River traffic on the Rhine and nearby airspace will also be temporarily halted during the operation.

Authorities in Cologne, Germany, launched a mass evacuation on Wednesday involving more than 20,000 residents after three large World War II-era bombs were discovered in the city center. Local officials described the operation as the largest of its kind in Cologne since the end of the war nearly 80 years ago.

The evacuation order, covering a one-kilometer radius, took effect at 8 a.m. local time. Alongside residents, workers and tourists in the historic district where the bombs were found were also required to leave the area.

2 View gallery The city of Cologne, Germany ( Photo: Noppasin Wongchum/Shutterstock )

The evacuation zone lies along the bustling banks of the Rhine River and includes a hospital, two nursing homes, nine schools, 58 hotels, and several museums. Cologne, a city of over one million people, experienced widespread disruption, with Germany’s national railway reporting significant service changes and cancellations on routes to and from the city.

The three unexploded bombs—two weighing one ton and a third weighing 500 kilograms—were discovered Monday during construction work in the Deutz district. They are of American manufacture, though they may have been dropped by the British Royal Air Force. Each is fitted with an impact fuse designed to detonate on contact with the ground, but they failed to explode when dropped nearly eight decades ago. Officials warned of the danger of accidental detonation during defusal efforts.

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City authorities stated that bomb disposal teams aim to complete the neutralization process by the end of the day. “This will only be possible if everyone in the evacuation zone leaves their homes or workplaces promptly and stays out of the area throughout the day,” the city of Cologne announced. Residents who refuse to comply may be forcibly removed by police and face substantial fines.

As part of the evacuation effort, city officials went door to door to ensure residents received the evacuation order, and hospital patients were transported out of the area by ambulance. Authorities set up two reception centers for evacuees without alternative accommodations.

2 View gallery An old bomb discovered in Augsburg in 2016 ( Photo: AFP )

Unexploded WWII ordnance is still occasionally discovered across Germany, where Allied air forces bombed many cities in an effort to defeat the Nazi regime. Cologne was among the most heavily targeted cities, with the Royal Air Force conducting 262 bombing raids, particularly in the war’s final stages. The British often used American-made bombs during these missions.

Although such discoveries are not uncommon, and bomb disposal operations typically conclude safely, Wednesday’s evacuation ranks among the largest in recent memory. The largest occurred in 2017, when 65,000 people were evacuated in Frankfurt after the discovery of a 1.4-ton bomb.