ERKELENZ (dpa-AFX) - The evacuation of the Lützerath lignite site is well advanced, according to Aachen's police chief Dirk Weinspach. "The evacuation of the above-ground structures is largely complete," he told WDR on Thursday evening. "We have cleared almost all the houses except one. It is the meadow cleared, a large part of the tree houses is cleared. In this respect, not so much remains," he said.

How long the operation will now last, one could not say nevertheless. The evacuation could be delayed by underground passages that were discovered on Thursday. According to police, activists are still staying there. "How long now the eviction from the underground ground structures will take, that is not foreseeable. There it will also depend on proceeding very carefully and not taking any risks," said the police chief./mhe/DP/men