(Update)

The first stage of the operation has been successfully completed with the military bomb disposal unit defusing the bomb. The second stage involves transferring the bomb away from the area. The operation of evacuating thousands of Greeks from their homes in the second-biggest city of Thessaloniki on Sunday to allow experts to defuse a World War Two bomb is in progress.

The 250 kg (550 lb) bomb was discovered about 5 meters (16 feet) below ground during excavation works at a petrol station last week.

Up to 72,000 residents living within a 2 km (1.2 miles) radius of the bomb site were asked to leave their homes in one of the country’s biggest peacetime evacuations. Buses were taking them to local gyms, stadiums and cafes, police said. “We are absolutely ready,” Regional Governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas told Greek TV before the operation began.

“I call on our fellow citizens to stay calm. There is no reason to panic, there is no danger, the measures taken are precautionary and for the safety of residents.”

The complex operation was expected to last “at most six hours,” Tzitzikostas said. Some residents have refused to leave their homes, despite the authorities’ recommendations. The operation has sparked global interest with media outlets from all over the world covering the procedure.