Yesterday, a 500 kg (1,102 lbs) World War II bomb was discovered near Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany.
The latest news from PressPortal confirms that the bomb was successfully detonated on Thursday at precisely 2 p.m.
Evacuation Efforts
To prepare for the detonation, a 1,000-meter radius around the bomb site was evacuated, including the Aulhausen district and the Sankt Vincenzstift, where multiple buildings needed to be cleared.
For three hours, police used announcements and foot patrols to inform residents of Aulhausen about the evacuation. At the Sankt Vincenzstift, nursing staff relocated 220 employees and residents to safer buildings.
Due to the cooperative efforts of all involved, the area was cleared by noon, allowing preparations for the explosion to proceed smoothly.
Emergency services located and safely escorted a person who was briefly missing from the restricted zone.
Disaster relief workers also transported eight non-ambulatory individuals to safety and provided care for them and about 15 others in a care center in Assmannshausen.
Alongside the fire brigade, volunteers from the Malteser were actively involved.
Detonation
The detonation was necessary because the bomb's detonators could no longer be defused.
To minimize the impact, over 12 tons of sand and 20,000 liters of water were placed over the bomb in a water bag, dampening the explosion.
Following the successful detonation and a check for explosive residues, the evacuation area was cleared at 2:11 p.m.
"The fact that we were able to adhere to our schedule so perfectly is thanks not only to the emergency services but also to the cooperation of our population," explained Klaus Zapp, Mayor of Rüdesheim.
A total of 130 emergency personnel from various departments, including the fire departments of Rüdesheim and Bad Schwalbach, disaster control services (German Red Cross and Malteser), rescue services, public order office, police, emergency pastoral care, building yard, forestry service, and the state castle and palace agency, worked together to ensure the operation's success.
The district administration's citizens' hotline also handled over 100 calls, providing assistance and information.
