WW2 Bombs Force 50,000 To Evacuate In Germany

About 50,000 people are being evacuated from their homes in Hannover while five suspected aerial bombs from the Second World War are made safe for removal.

City officials say two suspected bombs were found at a construction site and three more nearby.

The operation, the second-largest of its kind in Germany, will affect around a tenth of the city's population.

Leaflets in German, Polish, Turkish, English and Russian were delivered door-to-door to make sure everyone evacuated by 9.00 am (7.00 am GMT).

Authorities hope residents will be able to return to their homes by the evening.

The city has set up a programme of activities to help people spend the day as pleasantly as possible.

These include free museum tours, sport challenges and children's films. The senior citizens' agency has also organised an afternoon Scrabble and card-playing gathering.

Germany was heavily bombed by Allied planes during the war and such finds are common.

The operation is only second to last year's evacuation in Augsburg, when a 1.8 tonne bomb was unearthed.

At the time around 54,000 people had to be moved.

Cover picture courtesy of Jens Bludau.