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World War II Bombs Defused in Germany After Thousands Evacuated

Roughly 14,000 people were evacuated from the surrounding area of Dortmund as a precautionary measure after experts detected bombs in the city.

Two bombs dropped during World War II were successfully defused in Dortmund, western Germany, hours after roughly 14,000 people were evacuated and the city’s train station was shut down, officials said. Authorities said they initially suspected that there were four bombs, but later detected only two, which were reportedly 330-pound American and British bombs. Two hospitals were evacuated, trains were rerouted, and schools were opened for residents who had to leave their homes in the areas where the bombs were buried. Unexploded bombs have been frequently found in Germany since the end of the war almost 75 years ago, and destroying them can prompt sweeping evacuations as a precautionary measure.