WW2 'blockbuster' bomb to force evacuation of 70,000 in Frankfurt

[muriel_volestrangler]

Up to 70,000 people have been told to leave their homes in Frankfurt after an unexploded second world war bomb nicknamed “blockbuster” was uncovered.

The evacuation was due to take place on Sunday and is one of the biggest such operations ever mounted.

It will allow for the safe defusal of the 1,400kg British bomb, which German media said was nicknamed “Wohnblockknacker” (blockbuster) during the war for its ability to wipe out whole streets or buildings.

The unexploded bomb was discovered on Tuesday during building work a stone’s throw from the Westend campus of the Goethe University, police said in a statement.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/31/ww2-blockbuster-bomb-to-force-evacuation-of-70000-in-frankfurt

[jberryhill]

1. "The unexploded bomb was discovered... a stones throw from the Westend campus"

Throwing stones at it wasn't the brightest idea on that campus.

[hunter]

2. I'd feel weird learning I'd been living or working near such a hazard.

The bomb squad deserves a big thank you card.

[Aristus]

3. I have a feeling they'll still be finding unexploded ordnance from WWI & WWII

hundreds of years from now. When one considers that aerial bombs, tank cannon ammo, and artillery shells were produced in the hundreds of millions (small arms ammunition was produced in the billions), even a small fraction of those numbers resulting in duds will still mean thousands and thousands and thousands of unexploded weapons lying around in Europe and the Pacific.