Berlin District Evacuated Due to WWII Bomb Discovery

Authorities in Berlin have ordered the evacuation of 5,600 homes in a district of the German capital following the discovery of a World War II bomb. A police spokesperson confirmed that an area within a 500-meter radius around the bomb's location has been cordoned off.

The 100-kilogram bomb was found Wednesday morning at the bottom of a canal in the Neukölln district, near Sonnenallee, a major commercial street. The explosive was recovered from the canal and placed on a floating platform. It will be transported to the bank by crane, where bomb disposal experts will proceed to defuse it, according to police.

The evacuation operation, which began after the discovery, is expected to last several hours. Temporary accommodation facilities have been arranged for residents displaced from their homes. The affected area includes a nursing home, a homeless shelter, and a kindergarten, highlighting the significant disruption caused by the unexploded ordnance.