Dusseldorf (dpa) – The discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb is complicating federal elections in the German city of Wuppertal, with residents of one residential area being asked not to go to the polls for the time being.
There are five polling stations within a range of 500 metres of the bomb, a spokesperson for the city, which lies in the west, early Sunday. Eligible voters were advised to stay home.
The deactivation of the unexploded device was planned for the late morning. Once this is done, the residents can make their way to the polling stations.
Anyone who wants to vote can still do so at the polling stations until 6 pm (1600 GMT), the spokesperson said. “There are no time difficulties.”
Polling stations, however, were not closed. Those who went despite the authorities’ appeal were able to cast their vote.
The bomb was found late on Saturday, not far from the Wupper River. During the night, the surrounding houses were evacuated. About 1,500 people lived in this zone.
Some 400 of them went to a collective shelter, while the rest either stayed with friends or relatives or were not at home at the time.
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