Eurostar faced significant disruptions on Saturday as all its trains were canceled due to severe flooding in two tunnels in southern England. This marks the second major disruption within ten days, adding to the woes of New Year travelers.
The latest cancellations come on the heels of a wildcat strike by French unions just days before Christmas, coupled with harsh weather warnings from the UK’s Met Office predicting rain, snow, and ice across large parts of the country.
Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at London’s St Pancras station after Eurostar announced the suspension of all services for the entire day. Among those affected are newly-weds Nicole Carrera, 29, and Christopher, 31, from New York, who had planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Disneyland Paris. Carrera expressed her disappointment, stating, \"Now we won't get into Paris tomorrow until about 6:00 pm. Instead, we will just walk around the French capital.\"
Earlier on Saturday, Eurostar had already canceled all trains up to 4pm UK time (1600 GMT) due to the worsening flooding situation. Despite efforts to manage the disruptions, the flooding showed no signs of improvement, forcing the company to halt all operations for the day.
The ongoing challenges highlight the fragility of international travel during peak holiday seasons, exacerbated by labor strikes and unpredictable weather patterns.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
