Thousands of people were evacuated from a northern suburb of Paris while a World War Two bomb was rendered safe on Sunday.
Residents in Colombes living within a 450m radius of the bomb's location were instructed to leave their homes as authorities conducted a bomb disposal operation. An initial attempt to remove the detonator was unsuccessful, leading to a controlled explosion of the historic munition.
The operation was deemed successfully completed and the evacuation order was lifted by early evening, according to local officials.
The bomb was discovered on 10 April during construction work on Rue des Champarons, prompting precautions due to its hazardous nature.
Almost 800 police officers were deployed to enforce a 900m evacuation zone, while a wider zone extending a kilometer allowed residents to remain indoors but limited outdoor activity. Emergency alerts prompted individuals to vacate their homes quickly.
The authorities told us to close our windows and shutters when we left but we didn’t take anything with us, shared one local resident.
Reception centers were established for those displaced, providing support for vulnerable residents. The controlled detonation took place at 15:20, with the evacuation order formally lifted shortly thereafter.
Undetonated bombs from World War Two remain a frequent concern across Europe, with many found in urban areas where construction work is taking place, often requiring emergency evacuations.
