German authorities detonate World War II bomb found in Frankfurt river

Around 600 people were evacuated from their homes, after a WWII bomb found by firefighters taking part in a diving exercise in a river in Frankfurt, Germany, was safely detonated on Sunday.

The 250-kilogram (550-pound) bomb was discovered in Frankfurt's Main River, a tributary of the Rhine, on Friday

The deliberate explosion sent a water plume around 30 meters high into the sky, according to Deutsche Welle. The marine life had been driven away by smaller explosions earlier.

Pockets of Frankfurt city center were evacuated, as parts of the old town around Frankfurt Cathedral were also affected. Around 350 firefighters, police and Red Cross staff were involved in evacuation efforts.

Specialist divers moved the explosive to a greater depth of 5.5 to 6 meters in the Main River before detonation.

Even though the second World War ended over 70 ago, unexploded bombs dating back to the era are regularly found during construction work across Germany.