DRESDEN: Officials in Dresden evacuated 18,000 people Wednesday after the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb, the largest such operation yet in the eastern German city, emergency services said. A bomb squad was set to try to defuse the 250-kilogram British bomb which was found during work in the city center to rebuild an Elbe river bridge that collapsed in 2024. The exclusion zone had been fully established by 9:00 am local time, said police in the Saxony state capital. More than 400 police along with other emergency services were deployed, backed up by a helicopter and a drone, to check that homes, shops, schools, care homes and offices were empty inside a one-kilometer radius of the device. The bomb was discovered on Tuesday during clearance and construction work following the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge in September 2024. The evacuation affected major historic sites including the city&#39;s Zwinger Palace and the Frauenkirche church, as well as residential buildings, hotels and government offices. Because the bomb&#39;s detonator is damaged, a water jet cutter has to be used which will &quot;naturally delay&quot; the operation, police spokesman Marko Laske told public broadcaster MDR. If that doesn&#39;t work, bomb squad experts will have to consider detonating the bomb on site, he added. Dresden was heavily bombed by the Allies on February 13 and 14, 1945, killing up to 25,000 people and destroying large parts of the old town known for its Baroque architecture. World War II bombs were previously found and defused at the site in January and August 2025, with thousands of people affected each time.

A police officer cordons off Große Meißner Straße during an evacuation of the city center on March 11, 2026. (AFP)

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Authorities evacuated 18,000 people in Dresden after workers discovered an unexploded 250-kg World War II British bomb during bridge reconstruction, as bomb disposal teams prepared a complex defusing operation.

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Dresden city center cleared to defuse unexploded WWII bomb

Dresden city center cleared to defuse unexploded WWII bomb