German city evacuated after discovery of unexploded WWII bomb

More than 50,000 residents from the German city of Augsburg were evacuated from their homes so that a huge World War Two bomb could be defused.

City police tweeted that they had “good news at Christmas” just before 7pm. Before that, they had been unable to say how long residents would have to stay away due to the sensitive explosives work being done.

About 32,000 households with 54,000 residents in the city’s historic central district were forced to leave by 10am on Christmas morning so experts could handle the RAF bomb. The 1.8-tonne British explosive is thought to have come from a 1944 air raid, which destroyed the old town.

The evacuation was the single largest evacuation operation in Germany since the end of the war.

The bomb was uncovered last week during construction work in the city’s historic central district. Police said Christmas Day was the best time to defuse it because there was less traffic and it was more likely people could stay with relatives.

The evacuation began at about 8am on Christmas Day. The process involved up to 900 police officers and involved police vans with loudspeakers urging those affected to leave before the 10am deadline.

The evacuation area included the city’s Vincentinum hospital, where patients were transferred to other hospitals. Christmas morning services at the city’s medieval cathedral, famed for its boys’ choir, were also moved to another church. Schools and sports facilities were opened as shelters.

Most Germans celebrating Christmas open their presents and have their main festive meal on 24 December, rather than Christmas Day, according to the BBC.