By Marc Herwig and Carsten Linnhoff, dpa
Muenster, Germany (dpa) – Following one of the largest evacuations in recent German history, ordnance disposal experts in the western city of Muenster have defused two aerial bombs dating back to World War II, officials said on Sunday.
Around 16,000 residents were evacuated from their homes in the Mauritz district by 8 am (0600 GMT) on Sunday for the bomb disposal operation, a regular occurrence in German cities, where unexploded bombs continue to be discovered during construction work.
During the operation, experts found two unexploded bombs weighing 125 kilograms and 250 kilograms.
The evacuation was long planned in order to allow five suspected bombs at three locations to be examined in greater detail.
“It is one of the largest evacuation measures in German history,” Mayor Markus Lewe said on Sunday morning.
Several emergency shelters were set up. The city also installed shipping containers filled with water in three places designed to provide protection from pressure waves in the event of detonations.
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