About 20,500 residents of the German city of Cologne are being evacuated from a sizable portion of the city centre so that specialists can detonate three unexploded World War II bombs. According to a statement from the city, the American explosives were found Monday in a shipyard in the Deutz district.<\/p>\n
The city has shut off a 1,000-meter (3,280-foot) radius around the area in what it called “the largest operation since the end of WW2″ since unexploded munitions can still be dangerous. Along with a sizable hospital and a significant train station, homes, businesses, hotels, and schools have all been ordered to evacuate.<\/p>\n
If you refuse, we will take you and the police out of your house, using force if needed,” the officials said. Residents were warned that they may be subject to costly fines if they refused to leave their houses once the evacuation started.<\/p>\n
Several patients in critical condition received assistance from Eduardus Hospital in ambulances. It is not uncommon to find World War II bombs in German towns like Cologne and Berlin; the only difference is that these bombs were very big.<\/p>\n
The city warned that while Germany’s bomb disposal agency intends to disarm the explosives on Wednesday, it can only do so once everyone in the crowded area has left for their own safety.<\/p>\n
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