Travel chaos for Eurostar passengers as severe weather causes mass cancellations and leaves thousands stranded in London.

A water company stated that a “fire control system” is responsible for the flooding in a Kent tunnel, resulting in the cancellation of all Eurostar services.

Thames Water has been notified of a pipe causing a flood in the Eurostar tunnel. The cause appears to be related to the fire control system rather than a Thames Water pipe or asset. A technician is en route to assist with controlling the water flow.

“We will keep a close watch on the situation and provide assistance as necessary.”

A recording captured within the submerged tunnel displays a stream of water pouring onto the train tracks through a pipe connected to the wall of the tunnel.

The Tornado and Storm Research Organization (TORRO) cautioned that certain regions of the UK may experience “isolated tornadoes” on this day.

The Severe Weather Forecast has been released by experts for the Republic of Ireland’s central and southern regions, as well as parts of northern England, the Midlands, East Anglia, southern England, and the Channel Islands.

Residents in these regions should anticipate wind speeds reaching up to 70mph, along with hail, lightning, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes until the warning expires at 6am on Sunday.

The front’s low-level flow is expected to create a concentrated area of heavy rain, and the front’s shear could lead to the formation of misocyclones, according to the warning. These may contribute to powerful wind gusts, potentially reaching 60-70mph in some areas. There is also a possibility of isolated tornadoes.

Earlier this week, roofs were torn off in Greater Manchester by a localized tornado caused by Storm Gerrit.

This morning, numerous travelers are stuck at St Pancras International due to the cancellation of all Eurostar and Southeastern trains.

The railway tunnels near Ebbsfleet International station in southeastern England experienced flooding, resulting in the closure of both tunnels.

Trains will not operate between St Pancras and Ebbsfleet until the flooding is resolved.

More than 40 Eurostar trains have been cancelled at this point, and Southeastern has cautioned that there will be disruptions throughout the day.

The Met Office reported that a strong system of rain and gusty winds, linked to a cold front, will sweep through southern England.

There is a wind advisory in effect for the area until early Sunday morning.

Simon Calder, The Independent’s Travel Correspondent, reached the central London Eurostar hub at 5:30am, right as word of the first cancellations was circulating. He shares his account of the morning.

The scenes at London St Pancras International on the penultimate morning of the year mirrored those nine days earlier, when dozens of Eurostar trains were cancelled by a sudden strike.

Rephrased: Upon receiving the disappointing news that their scheduled travel plans for New Year’s would not be possible, passengers were faced with the challenge of finding alternative flights. A group of British vacationers turned to the internet to make arrangements, but quickly noticed that prices were increasing rapidly.

A family who had recently arrived to catch their train to Paris for a trip to Disneyland sought my guidance. I suggested they return home, retrieve their car, and head to either Folkestone or Dover. The Eurotunnel shuttle and cross-Channel ferries are currently operating to Calais.

A group of ladies from Leicestershire who were heading to Brussels for a weekend getaway for New Year’s made the decision to stay in London instead.

The most sorrowful groups were the travelers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and France who were attempting to go back to their homes. They were confused by the growing number of people and did not know what choices they had. Some were crying as they informed their loved ones that they would not be able to return home tonight as originally planned.

The recommendation, provided in both French and English, was to use the internet or the Eurostar application to reschedule – however, passengers were informed that there are no standard class seats available for the remainder of the day.

The message ended with an apology for any inconvenience caused.

Due to severe weather conditions throughout the UK, a tunnel near Ebbsfleet has flooded, causing thousands of railway passengers to become stranded.

The morning’s scheduled services running through the tunnel have been cancelled by Southeastern and Eurostar, and it is expected that cancellations will continue for the rest of the day.

Thousands of travelers, including Ben Saunders from Tunbridge Wells, were left stranded at London St Pancras International when Eurostar cancelled multiple train services.

The Independent was told by him, “We arrived at the station around 4am. We’re on our way to the French Alps.”

“The line extended all the way outside the doors, and after waiting for some time, we realized that the trains to Paris had been cancelled.”

“Finally, someone came by and informed us that there was a flood in the tunnel. This meant we could either get a refund for our tickets or reschedule them for a different date.”

It would have been appreciated if someone had informed us earlier about the situation while we were waiting in line. Instead, we had to wait for quite some time before anyone came by to update us.

“We have arrangements for the Paris-bound trains that we will unfortunately miss. This presents a major issue for us.”

Eventually, Mr. Saunders managed to reserve a flight from Luton airport to Geneva, which offers connections to the French Alps.

Eurostar has recently announced the cancellation of an additional 15 trains traveling to and from London St Pancras, making the total number of cancellations 43. Approximately 30,000 passengers are now facing disruptions to their New Year travel arrangements.

A representative for the global train company stated that Eurostar has had to cancel an additional 15 trains traveling to and from London. This is because the flooding in the tunnels between St Pancras International and Ebbsfleet has not improved.

“Network Rail is making every effort to keep Eurostar updated on any potential resumption of services later in the day.”

“Eurostar deeply apologizes for the unexpected problems that have affected our customers and services. We recognize the importance of returning home during this busy time at the end of the holiday season and leading up to the New Year.”

“We are making every effort to resolve the issue. We advise customers to check the Eurostar website for updates on their travel plans and compensation eligibility.”