Up to 72,000 people will be evacuated from their homes in Greece’s second-biggest city of Thessaloniki on Sunday so experts can defuse and remove a World War Two bomb.

The 250 kg bomb was discovered about 5 meters below ground during excavation works at a gas station last week. Military experts will attempt to defuse the bomb where it is in an operation expected to last several hours.

b’A military officer unloads sacks of sand next to a hole in the ground (R), where a 250 kg World War Two bomb was found during excavation works at a gas station, before an operation to defuse it that will take place on Sunday, in Thessaloniki, Greece February 10, 2017 | Source: Reuters’

Starting at 6 a.m (0400 GMT) on Sunday, buses will take residents living within a 2 km (1.2 miles) radius of the bomb site to local gyms, stadiums and cafes, police said, in the country’s biggest peacetime evacuation.

b’A military officer looks into a hole in the ground where a 250 kg World War Two bomb was found during excavation works at a gas station on the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece February 10, 2017 | Source: Reuters’

According to a report in Chicago Tribune, the regional governor of the area on Monday said  military and police authorities will try to defuse the bomb on the spot.

The report further added that the bomb was near the central railway station in western Thessaloniki during work to expand a gas station’s underground tanks. 

b’Military officers unload sacks of sand next to a hole in the ground (R), where a 250 kg World War Two bomb was found during excavation works at a gas station, before an operation to defuse it that will take place on Sunday, in Thessaloniki, Greece February 10, 2017 | Source: Reuters’

Sunday’s attempt won’t be the first effort to remove the bomb.  

While the existing tanks have been emptied, the previous attempts didn’t yield any success.

(With inputs from Reuters) 

Feature image source: Reuters