Bomb Threat to Eiffel Tower, Closed for Public

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: The iconic Eiffel Tower in central Paris, among the most visited tourist sites in the world, was closed to the public on Saturday after being evacuated as a precautionary measure following a bomb threat, French police sources said.

SETE, the body which runs the site, said bomb disposal experts as well as police were scouring the area, including a restaurant located on one of the floors. “It’s a usual procedure in this kind of situation which however is rare,” a spokeswoman said.

Visitors were evacuated from both the three floors and the square under the monument shortly after 1:30 pm.

Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited tourist sites in the world.  There is a police station right at the south pillar of the tower. Authorities carry out video surveillance and visitors’ security checks before they are allowed to enter into the premises.

Construction work on the tower began in January 1887 and was finished on March 31, 1889. It received two million visitors during the World’s Fair of 1889.

(Manas Dasgupta)