Thousands of Parisians evacuated as WW2 bomb detonated

 

Bomb disposal experts detonated the bomb in situ(Image: Prefet do Police)

Thousands of people were evacuated from a northern suburb of Paris while a World War Two bomb was rendered safe on Sunday.

 Residents in Colombes living within a 450m radius of where the device was found last month were told by police to leave their homes by 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT), as authorities carried out a bomb disposal operation.

 According to French media, an initial attempt to remove the weapon's detonator was unsuccessful, necessitating an in-place controlled explosion by authorities. The operation was "carried out successfully" and the evacutation order was lifted by early on Sunday evening, the Préfet des Hauts-de-Seine confirmed in a statement.

 On April 10, the bomb was discovered while construction was taking place on Rue des Champarons. Authorities secured the site and covered the device with sand while preparations were made for its removal.

 Local official Alexandre Brugère stated prior to the operation that it would be "risky" and required a "high level of preparation." Nearly 800 police officers were deployed to enforce the 900m-wide evacuation zone, while a second, wider zone extending a kilometre from the bomb's location allowed residents to remain indoors but restricted outdoor activity.

 Locals received emergency alerts instructing them to leave and were told they would not be allowed to return until the operation had been completed.

"The authorities told us to close our windows and shutters when we left the house, but we didn't take anything - we left everything as it was," one resident, Alida, told newspaper Le Parisien.

 For those who were compelled to leave their homes, reception centers were established. These centers provided assistance to vulnerable residents who required medical assistance. Police said bomb disposal experts conducted the controlled detonation at 15:20 on Sunday.  Soon after 16:00, the evacuation order was lifted. 86 years after the war ended, undetonated World War II bombs can still be found frequently throughout Europe. Those uncovered in urban centres - usually when digging foundations for new buildings - can pose a greater risk due to a built-up nearby population.

 In recent years, dozens of bombs have been discovered throughout London, causing tourist hotspots to be evacuated and even London City Airport to be temporarily closed. A 500-kilogram device was discovered and spread last year near Paris's Gare du Nord, where workers were building a new bridge over railroad tracks.

Source: BBC