About 45,000 people are being evacuated in Germany’s Koblenz city after a World War II bomb surfaced in the Rhine river on Saturday, Deutsche Welle said.
The 1.8-ton British bomb was spotted along with a smaller U.S. bomb in the western German city due to low water levels caused by the unusual lack of rains.
If it detonates, experts say the WWII bomb could toss fragments up to 800 meters in the air and shatter most windows within a 1.4-kilometer radius.
Almost half of the city residents living within one kilometer from the site are leaving their homes as crews are preparing to defuse the bomb with a floating crane on Sunday morning.
Two clinics, seven retirement homes, a local prison and several hotels have already been vacated.
Road, rail and river traffic have been suspended. If all goes according to plan, residents will be able to return home on Sunday evening.
