Editing Blockbuster bomb (section)

==Post-war unexploded ordnance==
[[File:Fundort Luftmine 04 Koblenz 2011.jpg|thumb|Disposal of a {{convert|4,000|lb|t|abbr=on}} blockbuster dropped by the RAF during World War II. Found in the Rhine near [[Koblenz]], 4 December 2011.]]

An unusual dry period led to low river levels in the [[Rhine]] in December 2011, exposing a 4,000 lb HC bomb in the riverbed near [[Koblenz]]. A radius of {{convert|2|km}} around the bomb site (containing about 45,000 people) was evacuated while the bomb was defused.<ref name="bbc k">{{Cite news | title = Work to defuse WWII bomb in Rhine near Koblenz begins | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16018659 | work = [[BBC News]] | date = 4 December 2011 | access-date = 4 December 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111203225957/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16018659 | archive-date = 3 December 2011 | url-status = live }}</ref> Another unexploded blockbuster was found in [[Dortmund]] in November 2013, requiring the evacuation of more than 20,000 people from the area.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/4000-pound-world-war-ii-bomb-forces-mass-evacuation-in-germany/ |title=4,000-pound, World War II bomb forces mass evacuation in Germany |agency=Associated Press |work=CBS news |date=3 November 2013 |access-date=2017-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904012827/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/4000-pound-world-war-ii-bomb-forces-mass-evacuation-in-germany/ |archive-date=4 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other bombs were found and defused in [[Vicenza]] on 29 April 2001 and 25 April 2014. In 2001, defusing operations required the evacuation of 70,000 within a radius of {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite news | url=https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2001/04/05/vicenza-settantamila-evacuati-per-disinnescare-la-maxi.html | location=Vicenza | work=La Repubblica | title=Vicenza, settantamila evacuati per disinnescare la maxi bomba | date=5 April 2001 | language=it | access-date=15 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515102034/https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2001/04/05/vicenza-settantamila-evacuati-per-disinnescare-la-maxi.html | archive-date=15 May 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref> while in 2014 defusing operations required the evacuation of 30,000 within a radius of {{convert|2.5|km|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.oggitreviso.it/vicenza-si-prepara-al-bomba-day-evacuazione-30-mila-84663 | location=Vicenza | work=OggiTreviso | title=Vicenza si prepara al Bomba Day. Evacuazione per 30 mila | date=22 April 2014 | language=it | access-date=22 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426233505/http://www.oggitreviso.it/vicenza-si-prepara-al-bomba-day-evacuazione-30-mila-84663 | archive-date=26 April 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On 19 December 2016, a British bomb identified as a 4,000 lb HC blockbuster<ref>{{cite news |title=German city evacuated after discovery of unexploded RAF bomb |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/25/augsburg-germany-evacuated-unexploded-second-world-war-bomb |newspaper=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |access-date=26 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226053508/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/25/augsburg-germany-evacuated-unexploded-second-world-war-bomb |archive-date=26 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> was discovered in [[Augsburg]], Germany. It was defused on [[Christmas Day]], requiring evacuation of more than 54,000 people within a radius of 1.5&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://live.augsburger-allgemeine.de/Event/Liveticker_zur_Fliegerbombe_in_Augsburg |title=Liveticker zur Fliegerbombe in Augsburg |newspaper=Augsburger Allgemeine |date=21 December 2016 |access-date=2017-09-03 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223011730/http://live.augsburger-allgemeine.de/Event/Liveticker_zur_Fliegerbombe_in_Augsburg |archive-date=23 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 29 August 2017, another British HC 4000 lb bomb was discovered during construction work near the [[Goethe University Frankfurt|Goethe University]] in [[Frankfurt]], requiring the evacuation of approximately 65,000 people within a radius of {{convert|1.5|km|abbr=on}}. This was the largest evacuation in Germany since the Second World War.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/31/ww2-blockbuster-bomb-to-force-evacuation-of-70000-in-frankfurt |title=WW2 'blockbuster' bomb to force evacuation of 70,000 in Frankfurt |newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 August 2017 |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=31 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831042532/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/31/ww2-blockbuster-bomb-to-force-evacuation-of-70000-in-frankfurt |archive-date=31 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |author=Hannelore Crolly |url=https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article168209250/Das-macht-die-Blockbuster-Bombe-so-gefaehrlich.html |title=Evakuierung in Frankfurt: Das macht die 'Blockbuster'-Bombe so gefährlich |newspaper=Die Welt |language=de |orig-year=1 September 2017 |date=2 September 2017 |access-date=1 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206213545/https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article168209250/Das-macht-die-Blockbuster-Bombe-so-gefaehrlich.html |archive-date=6 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/bombenfund-in-frankfurt/bombenalarm-in-frankfurt-ganz-frankfurt-dankt-den-helden-des-tages-15182153.html |title=Bombenalarm in Frankfurt: Ganz Frankfurt dankt den Helden des Tages |newspaper=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |language=de |date=3 September 2017 |access-date=3 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904054608/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/bombenfund-in-frankfurt/bombenalarm-in-frankfurt-ganz-frankfurt-dankt-den-helden-des-tages-15182153.html |archive-date=4 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 8 April 2018, an HC 4000 lb bomb was discovered during gardening jobs in [[Paderborn]], near the [[Paderborn University|local university]], leading to the evacuation of 26,400 people while the bomb was defused.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.westfalen-blatt.de/OWL/Bombenfund-Paderborn/3242134-Im-Garten-von-Familie-Werth-in-Paderborn-liegt-die-1800-Kilo-Bombe-Wohnen-auf-dem-Pulverfass | title=Wohnen auf dem Pulverfass | newspaper=Westfalen-Blatt | language=de | date=2018-04-03 | access-date=2018-04-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412212019/http://www.westfalen-blatt.de/OWL/Bombenfund-Paderborn/3242134-Im-Garten-von-Familie-Werth-in-Paderborn-liegt-die-1800-Kilo-Bombe-Wohnen-auf-dem-Pulverfass | archive-date=12 April 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.paderborn.de/rathaus-service/news/bombenentschaerfung.php | title=Bombenentschärfung am 8. April 2018 in Paderborn | language=de | access-date=2018-04-12 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.nw.de/lokal/kreis_paderborn/paderborn/22107589_So-verlief-die-Bombenentschaerfung-in-Paderborn.html | title=So verlief die Bombenentschärfung in Paderborn | newspaper=Neue Westfälische | language=de | date=2018-04-09 | access-date=2018-04-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411120009/http://www.nw.de/lokal/kreis_paderborn/paderborn/22107589_So-verlief-die-Bombenentschaerfung-in-Paderborn.html | archive-date=11 April 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On 20 March 2024, a MK IV bomb was found in a construction site in [[Viterbo|Viterbo, Italy]] causing an evacuation of more than 30,000 people in a range of 1400m from the discover site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strocchia |first=Raffaele |date=2024-05-03 |title="Cinque ore per neutralizzare la bomba". Ma la fine dell'evacuazione sarà annunciata solo con il suono delle sirene |url=https://www.viterbotoday.it/cronaca/quanto-dura-evacuazione-bomba-viterbo-7-maggio-2024.html |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=ViterboToday |language=it}}</ref>

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