World War II bomb in Dresden defused after city centre evacuation of 18,000 people
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A 250kg British bomb was found on March 10, during work in the centre of Dresden to rebuild a bridge over the River Elbe that collapsed in 2024. Dresden was heavily bombed by the Allies in 1945.
PHOTO: AFP
- A WWII bomb was found in Dresden on March 10 during bridge reconstruction, prompting a large evacuation.
- On March 11, 18,000 residents were evacuated within a 1km radius, affecting historic sites.
- Bomb disposal experts defused the 250kg British bomb at 3.10pm, and safety checks will follow.
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DRESDEN, Germany - An unexploded World War II bomb was successfully defused in the German city of Dresden on March 11, police said, after it caused a huge evacuation operation.
The 250kg British bomb was found on March 10, during work in the city centre to rebuild a bridge over the River Elbe that collapsed in 2024.
The discovery caused officials to evacuate 18,000 people on March 11, the largest such operation ever in the eastern German city, emergency services said.
More than 400 police along with other emergency services were deployed, backed up by a helicopter and a drone, to check that homes, shops, schools, care homes and offices were empty inside a 1km radius of the device.
Later on the afternoon of March 11, police in the city said the device had been defused.
It said in a statement that bomb disposal specialists “removed the detonator of the bomb at 3.10pm before exploding it”, while the bomb itself was also removed from the site.
The evacuation zone will be opened again once a final safety check is completed, police said.
The bomb was discovered during clearance and construction work following the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge in September 2024.
The evacuation affected major historic sites including the city’s Zwinger Palace and the Frauenkirche church, as well as residential buildings, hotels and government offices.
Dresden was heavily bombed by the Allies on Feb 13 and 14, 1945, killing up to 25,000 people and destroying large parts of the old town known for its Baroque architecture.
World War II bombs were previously found and defused at the bridge site in January and August 2025, with thousands of people affected each time.
WWII ordnance is still regularly discovered in Germany, more than eight decades after the end of the conflict.
Also on March 11, authorities in the western city of Cologne – which had been heavily bombarded in the war – said a 50kg American bomb had been discovered and quickly defused. AFP
