The discovery of an unexploded bomb from World War II prompted the evacuation of some 12,000 people in the eastern German city of Halle.
A hospital, six schools, several day care centres and nursing homes within an 800-metre radius were cleared on Thursday after the 250 kilogram explosive was unearthed, a spokesman for the city government said.
Many of those evacuated were taken to a local sport centre during the alert over the bomb, which was discovered during building work.
More than six decades after World War II, authorities believe there are still some 3000 bombs buried beneath the capital Berlin alone, and unexploded devices are regularly discovered in construction work.
In June 2010, a 500 kilogram Allied bomb, thought to be British, exploded and killed three German sappers and seriously injured two others in the central city of Goettingen as they prepared to defuse it.
