Rupture in Cologne's Calm: Bomb Defusal Live Update +++ 18:15 Mission Accomplished
Cologne's evacuation in progress at present time.
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The city of Cologne has witnessed a dramatic turn of events, with the largest evacuation since World War II coming to an end. Three unexploded bombs, remnants from the tumultuous past, discovered on Monday during construction work, have been deftly defused by a team of skilled professionals.
17:45 Cultural Halt The cultural scene in Cologne was notably affected during the evacuation. Institutions such as the Museum Ludwig, the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, and the Musical Dome were within the restricted area. Fortunately, a performance by comedian Tedros "Teddy" Teclebrhan at the Lanxess Arena, originally scheduled for Saturday, was successfully rescheduled for Sunday without any hitches.
16:30 Ordnance Office on High Alert The bomb finds were located on the Deutz riverbank. Members of the Ordnance Office guarded the fenced-off zones, waiting patiently until the team could begin the operations. The exact time for disposal was uncertain, as the priority was ensuring all residents had vacated the area. Authorities anticipated the all-clear for disposal by 6 PM.
15:13 Railways Under Pressure Although Cologne Central Station was not in the restricted area, the Hohenzollern Bridge leading to it, the most heavily used railway bridge in Germany, was. The German Railway Company forecasted significant constraints in long-distance and local traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia due to the closure of the Cologne-Messe/Deutz station. The city of Cologne anticipated substantial disruptions for public transport and river traffic as well.
14:44 RTL at the Helm The headquarters of RTL in Cologne-Deutz were affected as well. The station planned to air the early morning shows "Punkt 6" and "Punkt 7" live, but "Punkt 8" was cancelled. By 8 AM, the building was fully evacuated. Employees of RTL Germany at the Cologne location shifted their operations to a mobile office on-site and broadcast "Punkt 12," "RTL Aktuell", and "RTL Nachtjournal" live from the capital studio in Berlin, while other shows were pre-recorded to ensure seamless transmission.
13:23 The Affected Zone A significant portion of Cologne's city center needed to be closed to allow for bomb defusing. The closure encompassed the Rhine, parts of Cologne's Old Town, several schools and kindergartens, businesses, and event venues. Three bridges over the Rhine were also closed. The Cologne-Deutz train station, the City Hall, and its Deutz branch, a hospital, and two nursing homes were evacuated as well. Fortunately, the Cologne Cathedral and Central Station were just outside the evacuation zone.
12:01 City Center Erected as Restricted Zone Cologne faced one of its largest evacuations in recent history: a substantial part of the city center had to be cordoned off for approximately 20,000 people to leave their homes within a 1,000-meter radius around the discovery site. Roadblocks were set up at 8 AM, and officials began checking if all homes were empty, a process that could take several hours with such a massive operation.
In light of the bomb defusal operation in Cologne, several policies within the community and general-news were prompted. The city's employment policy was put into action as public transportation services adjusted their schedules, and businesses and event venues temporarily closed or relocated. Moreover, political discussions surfaced concerning the city's emergency preparedness and evacuation procedures following the unexpected discovery of unexploded bombs in the city center.
