According to a report by Agence France-Presse on August 7, as the water level of the Rhine River decreased under the influence of high temperatures and drought, the city of Cologne in Germany recently discovered an unexploded bomb from World War II that had been buried at the river bottom for decades. German bomb disposal personnel dismantled the bomb on June 6, eliminating the safety risk.
The bomb that surfaced was a US-made 500-pound aircraft bomb, discovered near the Cologne Rhine Park on the evening of the 5th local time. Officials from the Cologne city government said that for safety reasons, approximately 360 people were evacuated within a radius of 400 meters, including residents of a nursing home and staff from a nearby television studio.
It was not until German bomb disposal experts removed the bomb on the 6th local time that the city of Cologne gradually lifted the security measures and allowed the evacuated residents to return home.
A non-exploded bomb from World War II was discovered in Cologne, Germany. Video screenshot
Cologne city officials said that the unexploded bomb was discovered because the water level in the Rhine-Cologne river section has dropped to historical lows. Cologne was heavily bombed during World War II. Officials responsible for handling explosives in Cologne said that in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which includes Cologne, between 1,500 and 2,000 unexploded weapons from World War II are discovered each year.
Under the influence of persistent high temperatures and drought, the water level of the Rhine River has been continuously decreasing. By the 6th, the water level in the Cologne River section had dropped to 67 centimeters, which is the lowest level on record. As a “European transportation artery,” the continuous low water levels in the Rhine River have seriously affected inland shipping in Germany. This has forced ships to reduce their cargo capacity and also exposed objects such as unexploded bombs that have been hidden at the bottom of the river for a long time.
German officials told Reuters that the water level of the Rhine River may rise slightly in the coming days, but there are currently no signs of a sustained increase in the water level.
