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CRIME

Cologne puts metro flooding plan on hold

Plans to flood a Cologne city centre metro tunnel in an attempt to prevent it collapsing after investigations revealed serious errors in its construction have been put on hold.

Cologne puts metro flooding plan on hold
Photo: DPA

Preparations had been hastily made to flood the tunnel with 14.5 million litres of ground water in order to shore up underground walls which had been poorly built.

This was deemed the only way to ensure the central Heumarkt station site did not collapse by providing counter pressure against the walls which would likely be strained by rising groundwater levels due to spring runoff.

But the plans were shelved on Saturday afternoon after it emerged that ground water levels were not rising as quickly as expected.

“We can delay the flooding without reducing the safety concept which remains complete,”

city official Guido Kahlen said.

The city has been gripped by the drama playing out among its foundations, which started a year ago with the deadly collapse of the historic archive building, after which it was revealed that corners had been cut in metro tunnel construction. In some areas more than 80 percent of the stabilising metal anchors have been found to be missing in tunnel walls.

Falsified records concerning the construction work have been uncovered, with some suggestion that organised crime could have been involved.

Although the flooding action has been called off, the fire brigade remains ready to implement the plans should it become necessary.

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BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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