Thousands evacuated in northern Germany to defuse WWII bombs

Hanover – Officials in northern Germany evacuated about 16,000 people from their homes and closed a major section of the autobahn on Sunday to prepare to defuse unexploded bombs from World War II.

Feared traffic chaos as a result of the evacuation failed to materialise after authorities completely closed the major A2 east-west highway near Hanover.

Meanwhile, the closure is planned until 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).

Report says unexploded bombs dating back to the aerial bombing of Germany during World War II are still frequently found.

Most local authorities have teams working full-time to detect and defuse them.