A 250-kilogram US bomb from World War II was found in the Rhine river at the level of Rheinpark in Köln-Deutz, Germany.
The area around Rheinpark in Köln-Deutz must be evacuated for the defusal process. The evacuation radius around the bomb's location is 400 meters.
Approximately the number of individuals required to leave the area
The evacuation affects parts of the Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer and the St. Kunibert church on the left bank of the Rhine. The broadcasters RTL Deutschland and ntv are also affected because their headquarters are located at the adjacent Picassoplatz. Many of the 360 people leaving the area work for RTL Deutschland.
Defusal is scheduled for Thursday, August 7, 2026. It is unclear whether the bomb was discovered due to current low water levels in the Rhine or during river works.
Due to the evacuation, the news program 'RTL Aktuell' will be broadcast from the capital studio in Berlin instead of Köln, Germany, at 18:45.
