Huge WWII bomb forces evacuation of tens of thousands in Germany
An aerial bomb (illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Around 30,000 people were evacuated in the southwestern German city of Pforzheim after a large unexploded World War II bomb was discovered, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
The dangerous explosive device was found during construction work in the eastern part of Pforzheim, about 40 kilometers from Stuttgart.
Police say the device is an HC-4000 aerial bomb weighing 1.8 tons with around 1.35 tons of explosives.
After the discovery, authorities established a restricted zone with a radius of 1.5 kilometers and launched a large-scale evacuation of residents.
A police representative said firefighters and law enforcement officers were checking whether all residents had left the danger zone before the bomb disposal operation began.
The operation has partially disrupted public transportation and restricted traffic in several parts of the city.
As recently as May 15, city officials said the bomb did not pose an "immediate danger to the public," but after reassessing the risks, authorities decided to carry out the evacuation.
Notably, Germany recently unveiled its first-ever national military strategy, officially naming Russia as the main threat to European security.
The document states that the Kremlin is already waging a hybrid war against Western states through espionage, sabotage, and cyberattacks, while also creating conditions for a possible conflict with NATO.
