City centre of Cologne experiencing a halt following a bombing incident on a Wednesday.
Say goodbye to your comfy beds, Colognelians, as over 20,000 residents are to vacate their homes on Wednesday. Three massive World War II bombs—two American 2000-pounders and one 1000-pounder—will be defused, causing quite the storm. A spokesperson for the city admitted this is one of the largest evacuations since the war's end.
This evacuation zone has a wide reach, including the Museum Ludwig, the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, and the RTL Television station. RTL, however, isn't letting this bombshell halt their morning shows "Punkt 6" and "Punkt 7." They plan to broadcast live from their Deutz district center, but "Punkt 8" will be shelved. By 8 a.m., the building will be completely evacuated. Lucky for RTL, their Germany employees can set up shop at a mobile office.
For the rest of their shows, RTL is turning to their capital studio in Berlin, while ntv will produce their daily news programs in Cologne-Ossendorf from 7 a.m.
The entire old town is also in the danger zone, with 58 hotels and accommodations ordered to evacuate. Bridges over the Rhine will be closed, and the Cologne-Deutz train station, the town hall (and its Deutz side branch), a hospital, and two nursing homes will also join the exodus. Curiously, the Cologne Cathedral ducks the evacuation zone.
These ticking time bombs were discovered on Monday, causing quite the stir in this bustling city. Before the war, Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed metropolises, with the first "Thousand Bomber Raid" by the British Royal Air Force taking place on May 30-31, 1942.
Sources: ntv.de, as/dpa
Cologne
- Evacuees: Over 20,000 people from a 1000-meter radius around the Deutz site are being evacuated.
- Critical Infrastructure: The evacuation area includes critical facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, and important offices like RTL.
- Travel: Travelers should anticipate severe travel restrictions in the area. Public transportation may be disrupted or rerouted.
RTL
- At the time of writing, there's no specific information regarding RTL's impact or operations. However, given their location in the evacuation zone, they may face temporary disruptions.
[1] ntv.de[2] dpa.de[3] Suggested source: cologne.de (not available at the time of writing)
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive concerning the evacuation in Cologne, following the discovery of World War II bombs. This incident highlights the intersection of politics, general news, and crime-and-justice, as the city faces a significant challenge. Accidents, specifically the finding of unexploded bombs, have led to the masses vacating their homes and displacing residents from various areas, including hotels and offices such as RTL.
