British bomb found in Dresden forces massive evacuation of 18,000 residents
Illustrative photo: British bomb paralyzed Dresden (Getty Images)
A 250-kg British bomb was found on the bank of the Elbe River in the German city of Dresden, prompting the largest evacuation in the city since World War II, according to MDR.de.
Nearly 18,000 residents of central Dresden must leave their homes. The fire service initially discovered two suspicious objects on the Elbe’s bank, and later specialists confirmed that one of them was an explosive device.
The defusing of the 250-kilogram British bomb is scheduled for the second half of the day. Local authorities note that this evacuation is the largest in Dresden since World War II.
The shell is damaged, so it can only be defused using special equipment — a hydro-abrasive cutter. The police warn that the demining operation may take longer than usual.
Law enforcement assures that they will try to minimize inconvenience for residents, although the main priority remains safety.
The evacuation zone covers an area within a one-kilometer radius of the discovery site. It includes well-known city landmarks, such as the Frauenkirche Church and the Opera House.
This area also houses the police headquarters, the Saxony state parliament, several ministries, senior residences, kindergartens, and other social institutions. Temporary accommodations for evacuees will be organized at the Dresden exhibition center.
Background
This is not the first evacuation in Dresden due to the discovery of World War II munitions.
For example, in 2023, during construction work in the Friedrichstadt district in the capital of Saxony, a 250-kilogram American World War II aerial bomb was discovered. The police cordoned off the area. At that time, about 15,000 people were evacuated.
