German authorities are conducting the second-largest bomb disposal project since World War II, with 50,000 residents of the north-western city of Hanover set to evacuate their homes.

“Thirteen unexploded ordnances from the 1940s are due to be removed from the city of just over half a million on Sunday, with a hospital, seven care homes and a tyre factory due to be evacuated as part of the effort,’’ city officials said.

The city of Hanover has prepared a series of events at museums, theatres and other public venues for those who would have to leave their homes.

According to city officials, it is also providing accommodation and food to evacuees.

Hanover was a frequent target of Allied bombing in the latter years of the war.

They said on Oct. 9, 1943, some 261,000 bombs were dropped on the city.

German authorities are under pressure to remove unexploded ordnance from populated areas, with experts arguing that the bombs are becoming more dangerous as time goes by due to material fatigue.

The biggest such operation occurred on Christmas Day of 2016, with 54,000 people in the western German city of Augsburg evacuated from their homes.