500kg Buried American Bomb Causes Major Alarm in Germany

In Cologne, Germany, the discovery of an unexploded aerial bomb from World War II triggered a major security operation. Due to the find, a children's hospital was fully evacuated, and thousands of residents were forced to temporarily leave their homes. This was reported by WDR news outlet.

It is reported that the 500-kilogram American aerial bomb was discovered on the morning of July 10 near Johannes-Gisberts Park in the Cologne-Nippes district. The bomb was found during routine inspections conducted before the start of landscaping work in the park. Relevant services were immediately notified of the dangerous discovery, and emergency security measures were taken around the area.

That afternoon, police and rescue services began large-scale evacuation efforts. Experts carried out a special operation around 3:15 PM and successfully defused the World War II-era bomb.

To ensure safety, 60 patients, including premature infants, their parents, and medical staff, were temporarily transferred from the children's hospital on Amsterdamer Straße to another medical facility. At the same time, a 500-meter danger zone was established around the site, and approximately 4,300 local residents were evacuated.

During the defusing operation, several major city roads were temporarily closed. Specifically, traffic was restricted on key streets such as Innere Kanalstraße, Amsterdamer Straße, and Stammheimer Straße, as well as the Zoobrücke (Zoo Bridge). This caused significant traffic congestion in various parts of Cologne.

According to reports, the emergency department of the children's hospital also temporarily ceased operations due to the evacuation. For safety reasons, all patients were relocated to the Holweide city hospital. According to officials, it was planned to return the patients to their hospital the following day once the operation was successfully completed.

Despite nearly eighty years having passed since the end of World War II, Germany's various regions still frequently encounter unexploded aerial bombs from that era. For this reason, conducting special inspections before construction and landscaping work is a mandatory safety practice in the country.