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| Germany WW2 bomb find prompts Cologne's biggest evacuation | Germany WW2 bomb find prompts Cologne's biggest evacuation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Some 20,000 people in the German city of Cologne have been forced to leave their homes as authorities defuse a one-tonne bomb from World War Two. | |
| Schools and kindergartens - as well as the zoo - remained closed during the city's largest post-war evacuation. | Schools and kindergartens - as well as the zoo - remained closed during the city's largest post-war evacuation. |
| About 1,100 residents of a retirement and disability centre in the Riehl area were among those taken to safety. | About 1,100 residents of a retirement and disability centre in the Riehl area were among those taken to safety. |
| It is not unusual for unexploded bombs to be discovered in Germany. Allied bombers targeted Cologne in WW2. | It is not unusual for unexploded bombs to be discovered in Germany. Allied bombers targeted Cologne in WW2. |
| The deactivation of the one-ton device, which was found near Muelheim bridge crossing the Rhine river, was planned for Wednesday afternoon. | |
| City officials said in a statement that during this time the river would be closed for shipping and the airspace would also be closed. | City officials said in a statement that during this time the river would be closed for shipping and the airspace would also be closed. |
| The bomb was found on Friday during preparations for the construction of a pipeline, according to local media. | The bomb was found on Friday during preparations for the construction of a pipeline, according to local media. |
| It is believed to be an American design and was buried 5m (16ft) underground. | It is believed to be an American design and was buried 5m (16ft) underground. |
| A 1km exclusion zone was set up around the spot where the device was found. | A 1km exclusion zone was set up around the spot where the device was found. |
| Six hundred of the residents evacuated on Wednesday morning were said to be in need of care. | Six hundred of the residents evacuated on Wednesday morning were said to be in need of care. |
| Otto Ludorff, the head of the care home affected, said the evacuation placed a "physical and emotional burden" on its residents, whose average age was 86, according to German news channel n-tv. | Otto Ludorff, the head of the care home affected, said the evacuation placed a "physical and emotional burden" on its residents, whose average age was 86, according to German news channel n-tv. |
| Hundreds of tonnes of unexploded ordnance are discovered in Germany every year. | Hundreds of tonnes of unexploded ordnance are discovered in Germany every year. |
| The explosives are usually defused safely, though in 2010 three bomb-disposal officers were killed during an attempt to make a bomb safe. | The explosives are usually defused safely, though in 2010 three bomb-disposal officers were killed during an attempt to make a bomb safe. |
| In December 2011, the biggest bomb disposal operation in Germany since 1945 was mounted in Koblenz to defuse two bombs from World War Two found in the riverbed of the Rhine. | In December 2011, the biggest bomb disposal operation in Germany since 1945 was mounted in Koblenz to defuse two bombs from World War Two found in the riverbed of the Rhine. |