Germany faces largest-ever evacuation after WWII bomb discovery

Berlin: At least 70,000 people in the German city of Frankfurt will have to leave their homes on Sunday due to an unexploded bomb from the WWII that has been found there.

The bomb from the Second World War, an HC-4000 that contains 1.4 tonnes of explosives, was found during construction work in the city on Tuesday, according to a press release from the Frankfurt fire department, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

The bomb will be defused following the evacuation on Sunday, the press release said. There is no danger at present and the bomb site is cordoned off by police.

Police authorities were quoted as saying that an area within 1.5 km around the bomb must be cleared.

It is not unusual for unexploded bombs from WWII to be found during construction work in German cities.

The biggest evacuation prompted by such discoveries took place in Augsburg on Christmas Eve last year when 54,000 people had to leave their homes.

In May this year, 50,000 people were evacuated in Hannover during a bomb disposal operation.