Evacuation in Essen-Süd: World War II bomb will be defused today!

Evacuation in Essen-Süd: World War II bomb will be defused today!

Today, October 9, 2025, a bomb discovery at Molkeplatz in Essen-Süd is causing quite a stir. An unexploded bomb from World War II was discovered and authorities responded quickly. The streets around the site were closed and the public order office loudly informed the population about the impending evacuation. But what does this actually mean for the residents?

To ensure the safety of citizens, the bomb will be defused today. For this purpose, an evacuation area was defined: All people within a radius of 300 meters from the site of the discovery must leave their homes and other places of residence. This regulation not only affects private homes, but also extends to business premises, kindergartens, schools, retirement homes and hospitals. In order to ensure everything runs smoothly, certain streets and access routes will be closed during the defusing, which will lead to traffic problems in the south of Essen. In particular, the Ruhrallee, which is partially impassable, represents a challenge for the residents. How Lokalkompass.de reports, special care stations were set up in the Ruhr Tower to offer affected citizens a point of contact.

There are also new regulations in the security concept behind this situation. Until February 2024, a distinction was made between an inner and an outer security circle. The inner circle determined which residents had to be evacuated, while the outer circle determined who was not allowed to be outside during the defusal. This regulation has now been reduced to a single evacuation area. essen.de explains that a radius of 300 meters is required for a five hundredweight unexploded bomb, and even 600 meters for a ten hundredweight unexploded bomb. The final determination of the exact evacuation boundary is the responsibility of the explosive ordnance disposal service, which can decide depending on the circumstances.

Fortunately, the Huyssensstift and the Elisabet Hospital are outside the evacuation area, so no additional measures are required here. Dealing with the situation carefully is the top priority in order to avoid possible dangers. In such a situation, it is particularly important that the authorities communicate quickly and transparently in order to give the population security and to react correctly to what is happening. We will continue to keep you updated on developments.