Thousands of residents were evacuated from central Berlin overnight between Thursday and Friday after an unexploded World War II-era bomb was discovered during construction work in the Fischerinsel area, near the River Spree.
Authorities established a 500-meter security perimeter in the densely populated district. Police officers went door-to-door, instructing residents to leave their homes immediately.
The Tagesspiegel reported long lines at the Mitte district city hall, which served as an emergency shelter. A second shelter was opened at a nearby school shortly after midnight due to overcrowding. The area includes several embassies and key municipal offices, further complicating the evacuation.
Residents will not return until after bomb disposal op.
Police said the bomb lies approximately four meters below the river’s surface and is covered in mud and sediment, complicating the removal process. A bomb disposal operation was scheduled for early Friday morning. Until it is completed, residents will not be allowed to return.
Ship traffic on the Spree has been suspended. Several major roads were closed, and subway services through the area were halted. Authorities said residents were expected to be allowed back by late Friday morning.
Germany continues to discover unexploded ordnance from World War II, with checks required at most major construction sites. The current operation is one of the largest evacuations in Berlin in recent years.