Evangeli von Rastatt: 3,000 people have to be evacuated because bombs were found

Evangeli von Rastatt: 3,000 people have to be evacuated because bombs were found

Next Sunday, October 26th, Rastatt will be defusing an American bomb from the Second World War. This was discovered on October 14th at a construction site for a swimming pool in Jahnallee, as stimme.de reported. The measure will have numerous impacts on residents and public transport, which is why all preparations are already in full swing.

Around 3,000 people within a 500 meter radius of the site have to vacate their homes and business premises by 8:30 a.m. On the morning of October 26th, the city and the explosive ordnance disposal service expect a hectic hustle and bustle, as all access routes to the bomb site will be closed from 10 a.m. In addition, local and long-distance traffic on the Rhine Valley Railway between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden will be stopped from 11 a.m. until the situation is defused, so travelers will have to switch to buses. According to official information from the city of Rastatt, the defusing is expected to be completed by lunchtime.

Evacuation information

In order to make the evacuation smooth, the affected residents will be informed about the necessary steps via loudspeaker announcements and information flyers on October 26th. All affected citizens should have evacuated the evacuation zone by 8:30 a.m. If you cannot find accommodation, you can use the BadnerHalle on Kapellenstrasse as emergency accommodation. Seating, drinks and sanitary facilities are provided there and accessibility is ensured. Pets are allowed as long as they are kept on a leash or in transport boxes. Anyone who needs special support can request this by October 23rd on the hotline 07222 972-7222.

What is particularly interesting is that the bomb was found at a time when large quantities of unexploded bombs are still stored in the ground in Germany. It is estimated that around 100,000 to 300,000 tons of these explosive remnants from the Second World War are still hidden throughout Germany. Around 5,000 of these dangerous objects have to be cleared every day because they can be discovered accidentally during construction work or by farmers, as ardalpha.de explains in detail.

A team from the explosive ordnance disposal service at the Stuttgart regional council will be deployed to defuse the fire in Rastatt. Bomb disposal officer Mathias Peterle expects things to go smoothly and no major problems are expected. If manual removal of the detonator proves to be too dangerous, detonation would be the last option, but this is not accepted.

The city of Rastatt assures that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of residents during this critical phase. Before returning to their homes, citizens must wait for an official all-clear, which will be announced by the city and via appropriate communication channels, such as the NINA warning app.

Given the importance of explosive ordnance disposal, the city administration and local experts are well equipped to handle this event.