Thousands evacuated in Berlin over WWII bomb

Thousands of people have been evacuated in a busy neighborhood in the German capital of Berlin after an unexploded bomb dating back to World War II was found close to the central rail station on Friday.

The police has evacuated the buildings in a radius of 800 meters of the bomb, assuring the public that there was no danger as the experts diffuse the 500-kg British bomb, The Independent reported.

Among the buildings evacuated include the Economy Ministry and a major museum in addition to residential areas and a change in public transport stops.

Shelters were prepared for the residents who had to leave their homes and according to estimates 10, 000 people have been affected by the disruption.

“It depends on how long the evacuation takes and of course the condition of the bomb,” police spokesman Martin Halweg told the Tagesspiegel newspaper.

Over seven decades after the end of WWII thousands of tonnes of live bombs are still found in Germany every year.