Eurostar cancels all today's trains after tunnel floods

The picture comes from PA Media.

Authored by Doug Faulkner and Harrison Jones, this blog post explores the topic at hand using a variety of other vocabulary options.

All of the train services from London St Pancras by Eurostar have been cancelled on Saturday because of flooding in a tunnel situated under the River Thames. This unforeseen event has disturbed the travel plans of passengers during the new year.

Eurostar had initially expressed optimism that its later services would proceed as planned, but it ultimately decided to cancel all 41 trains for the day.

All of the high-speed services that Southeastern operates to Ebbsfleet have also been annulled.

Numerous stranded travelers have been hastily reorganizing their schedules in anticipation of the upcoming New Year's Eve celebrations.

One couple, Nicole and Christopher Carrera from New York, who had just gotten married, had organized a vacation to Disneyland Paris during the New Year's Eve period. Unfortunately, their plans were disrupted and no longer possible as they were unable to arrive in time. They expressed their disappointment in the situation.

The couple has made a new reservation to go on a trip on Sunday. However, as per Ms. Carrera's statement to the PA news agency, they will reach Paris by evening. Hence, they have planned to explore the city and take a stroll before heading to their hotel.

The photo was taken by PA Media

due to cancelled flights caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicole Correra and her spouse had intended to visit Disneyland Paris for a holiday, however, the coronavirus outbreak resulted in the cancellation of their flights and they were forced to revise their itinerary.

Eurostar, a company that offers transportation from London to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, declared that customers impacted by the current situation can receive either a complete repayment or an alternative service in exchange.

It is uncertain whether services will recommence on Sunday.

Eurostar has mentioned that Network Rail is regularly providing them with information on the situation. Moreover, Eurostar itself will directly communicate with passengers who have scheduled travel plans.

At approximately 11:30 GMT, the individual in charge stated that they had terminated train services until later on in the day because of the flooding situation "not showing any signs of improvement".

However, as of 2:00 PM, there was not any improvement in the situation and the conclusion was reached to annul all offerings for the day.

The representative stated that Eurostar is deeply apologetic about the unexpected difficulties faced by their customers today. Nevertheless, they want to emphasize that the safety of their passengers continues to be their utmost concern.

We acknowledge that the end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year is a crucial period to return home, and we are providing assistance to travelers at various stations.

The company in charge of managing the track, HS1, reported that its team of engineers had been working tirelessly throughout the night to eliminate water from the track. Unfortunately, despite all their hard work, the quantity of water present on the track was beyond anything they had ever seen before.

According to a representative, there are pumps and tank trucks present at the location and the water levels are diminishing.

She expressed empathy for the passengers and offered apologies for the inconvenience caused during this crucial period of the year.

Southeastern stated that there will be no trains operating from stations such as St Pancras, Stratford International, or Ebbsfleet International.

For the second time in a span of ten days, the Eurostar services have been greatly affected due to a sudden strike by French employees which resulted in trains being halted just before Christmas.

The Southeastern railway has released a video that displays a rush of water pouring out of a pipe and into the tunnel.

Previously, Daniel and Ramona, who were on a journey to Paris to celebrate New Year's Eve, expressed their hopefulness that their train would be fortunate enough to operate.

Daniel mentioned that it is incredibly hectic at the moment, and people are not receiving much information. Many individuals seem lost and unsure of how to occupy their time. There are numerous individuals sitting in chairs, appearing as if they will be there for an extended period.

We have no other option but to be patient and observe which individuals depart and which stay.

Ramona and Daniel wish to spend their New Year's Eve in Paris.

Brian, who was on a trip to Paris with his family, mentioned: "We have already spent five days in London and were planning to spend four days in Paris, so we are currently trying to work out how to make our way over there."

Cindy shared that her family was feeling positive as they were heading back to the Netherlands. However, she expressed their concern that if the problem was not resolved, they might not be able to go home.

Additionally, there is significant disturbance occurring on the Thameslink transportation system. This transportation network runs through London and extends across the southeastern region of England. Moreover, there is a decrease in services available through Northern Rail, which covers a significant portion of the northern region of England. This cutback in service is due to a lack of available personnel.

The stretch of railway from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales is no longer in use because of extreme weather conditions. Additionally, the train services operating between Swansea and Shrewsbury have been called off as a result of the widespread floods.

The UK's meteorological office, also known as the Met Office, has announced yellow warnings for wind, rain and snow in various areas spanning across the country.

Network Rail Scotland has announced that speed limitations will be enforced on the West Highland Line until Sunday, 09:00, following the weather forecast.

Certain flights at Glasgow Airport were postponed due to the presence of snow on the landing strip.

The weather forecast predicts yellow warnings in the following areas:

Experts predict that there's a chance of homes and businesses getting flooded, as well as possible disruption to the supply of electricity.

This news follows a few days after Storm Gerrit caused a lot of chaos and disturbances throughout the country, resulting in power outages for several households. Moreover, a twister struck Greater Manchester, damaging numerous rooftops.

It has been predicted that gusts with a speed range of 45 to 50mph (80.5km/h) will occur at numerous places, and the coastal regions towards the west and south of England may encounter the most forceful gusts, falling between 65 to 75mph.

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