WW2 bomb defused in Turin as unexploded bomb stops traffic at Berlin’s Schoenefeld airport
MORE than 10,000 people were evacuated from central Turin yesterday as experts worked to defuse a World War Two bomb.
Residents of the Italian city were told to vacate a “red zone” in the historic district. A further 50,000 living further away were told either to leave their homes in advance, or to remain inside during the operation. The British bomb, dropped on the city 70 years ago, contained 65kg (140lbs) of dynamite, authorities said.
Turin Major Chiara Appendino said a detonator at the tail end of the device needed deactivating.
Local media said on Sunday afternoon that the operation to decommission the bomb had been completed faster than expected, and residents within the two zones had been allowed to go home.
Soldiers were deployed to patrol the two areas in order to avoid theft and looting, La Stampa reported.
Air space above Turin was closed during the operation.
Meanwhile, Air traffic was interrupted for about an hour at Berlin’s Schoenefeld airport at the weekend after an unexploded World War II bomb was found near a runway.
Bomb disposal experts have set up a safety zone around the site, according to police. “Flight operations can take place safely and have resumed for the time being,” the airport operating company said.
The bomb was found at 12:20 pm (1120 GMT) and is to be defused some time during Friday night.
Six incoming aircraft were diverted to Tegel, Berlin’s other main airport, during the interruption.
Six take-offs were also delayed by about an hour.
The bomb was discovered during repair work on a taxiway, a spokesman said. Asphalt surfaces are being laid on Taxiway G, which runs parallel to the runway between the terminals and the take-off and landing strip. (dpa/nan)