Cologne in a state of emergency: 20,000 people flee from bomb find!

Cologne in a state of emergency: 20,000 people flee from bomb find!

On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Cologne experienced the greatest evacuation since 1945. The reason for this rapid measure was the defusing of three American World War II bombs that had been discovered in the Deutz district: two 20-centers bombs and a 10-hundredweight bomb. Around 20,500 people were affected by the evacuation that affected large parts of the Cologne city center and almost the entire district of Deutz.

The evacuation began at 8 a.m. when the police and employees of the ordnance disposal service initiated the closures and evacuations in a 1,000 meter wide danger area. The affected area included numerous facilities, including the Eduardus Hospital, several retirement homes and a variety of hotels, museums and restaurants. The Rheinbrücken- Hohenzollern-, Deutzer and Severinsbrücke- were closed during the defusing to ensure the safety of the population. Affected tram lines and bus connections, including lines 1, 7 and 9, were also severely restricted.

restless scenes at RTL

The evacuation actions provided hectic scenes, especially in the studio of the TV station RTL. During a live broadcast of "Point 7", the moderators Jan Malte Andresen and Vanessa Civiello were abruptly asked for evacuation. They hurriedly packed their travel bags and announced that they left the studio. RTL had already announced in advance that the program would be partially changed, which led to the relocation of several programs from Cologne to Berlin.

The live broadcasts "point 6" and "point 7" were affected by the changeover, while "point 8" was in place. For the rest of the day, numerous RTL employees worked in the home office to meet the need for security.

logistical challenges and contact points

For the evacuated, two contact points have been set up: the exhibition hall 10.1 for residents from the right bank of the Rhine and the Humboldtstraße vocational college for the left bank of the Rhine. Both points of contact opened at 8 a.m. and offered commuting for the people concerned. However, pets could not be brought with them, and it was pointed out that in the event of non -compliance with the evacuation arrangement, strangers could be initiated.

The city of Cologne also offered a citizen phone to provide information from affected citizens. The need for evacuation led to a variety of restrictions, including the cancellation of a concert by the WDR symphony orchestra in the Philharmonie and the publication of the appearance of the comedian Teddy "Teddy" Tecebrhan to the Lanxess-Arena on a later date.

The comprehensive measures are not only a reaction to the discovery of bombs, but also an impressive example of the city of Cologne, which is seriously and determined with the challenges of the past. The ordnance disposal service plans to complete the defusing of the bombs on Wednesday, provided that all affected people can leave the evacuation area in good time.

Current information and updates on the situation in Cologne are provided via various media, including Radio Cologne and the Cologne Verkehrsbetriebe.