The bomb was discovered on 10 April during construction work on Rue des Champarons. Authorities secured the site and covered the device with sand while preparations were made for its removal.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the operation, local official Alexandre Brug\u00e8re said it would be “risky” and required a “high level of preparation”.<\/p>\n
Nearly 800 police officers were deployed to enforce the 900m-wide evacuation zone, while a second, wider zone extending a kilometre from the bomb’s location allowed residents to remain indoors but restricted outdoor activity.<\/p>\n
Locals received emergency alerts instructing them to leave and were told they would not be allowed to return until the operation had been completed. <\/p>\n
“The authorities told us to close our windows and shutters when we left the house, but we didn’t take anything – we left everything as it was,” one resident, Alida, told newspaper Le Parisien.<\/p>\n
Reception centres were set up for those forced to leave their homes, including support for vulnerable residents requiring medical assistance.<\/p>\n
Police said bomb disposal experts conducted the controlled detonation at 15:20 on Sunday. The evacuation order was lifted shortly after 16:00.<\/p>\n
Undetonated WW2 bombs are still found regularly across Europe, 86 years since the war began.<\/p>\n
Those uncovered in urban centres – usually when digging foundations for new buildings – can pose a greater risk due to a built-up nearby population.<\/p>\n
Dozens of bombs have been found in recent years across London, leading to evacuations of tourist hotspots and even the temporary closure of London City Airport.<\/p>\n