Bomb disposal: 12,000 people affected
Created: 08/18/2022, 17:19
A police vehicle is parked at the construction site where the bomb was found.
© Paul Zinken/dpa
After the discovery of a World War II bomb, evacuation is underway in Berlin-Friedrichshain.
It was initially unclear on Thursday when the 500-kilo bomb could be defused.
"Up to 12,000 people could be in the area of the restricted area, and it will take time," said a police spokeswoman late in the afternoon.
The bomb from World War II was discovered around 11:45 a.m. during construction work on the corner of Persiusstrasse and Bödikerstrasse, roughly between the Spree and Ostkreuz train station.
According to the police, there are two detonators on the dud that are to be removed on site.
The bomb is then to be taken to the blasting site in Grunewald, where a fire broke out two weeks ago.
According to the spokeswoman, the police were on the road with two loudspeaker vans on Thursday afternoon.
250 police officers took care of the road closures and went from door to door.
On Twitter, people were asked to leave the area on their own.
There are three day care centers and a school in the 500 meter restricted area.
Summer holidays are still in Berlin at the moment.
The day-care centers had already been cleared, it said.
Part of the Spree and the Ostkreuz train station are also in the area, which is why, in addition to the S-Bahn traffic, shipping traffic should also be stopped as soon as the bomb is defused.
dpa