Flood Chaos Hits High-Speed Rail Under Thames
Commuters face chaos today as flooding in a tunnel beneath the River Thames slashes high-speed rail services between St Pancras International and Ebbsfleet International. The unexpected deluge has left passengers heading to and from London stranded and scrambling for alternatives.
Southeastern Slashes Service to “Very Limited”
Rail operator Southeastern warned of a “very limited service” on the vital St Pancras to Ebbsfleet route. Flooding in one of the two tunnels near Ebbsfleet has forced the closure of one tunnel, halving capacity and causing severe disruption all day.
“There will be a very limited service to and from St Pancras International for the rest of the day because of flooding in a tunnel in the Ebbsfleet International area. Disruption will continue until the end of service today,” Southeastern said.
Passengers are urged to use alternative routes from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, and London Bridge stations to avoid the jam-packed trains.
Eurostar Delays Compound Travel Woes
The flooding is hitting Eurostar services hard too, with delays of up to one hour reported as staff battle the water damage. The travel nightmare comes on the back of a yellow weather warning for Kent, where gusts up to 75mph are expected along the coast.
The Met Office has extended the storm alert to southern England from 11 am Saturday to 3 am Sunday, warning of more travel mayhem to come.
Stay Alert: Travel Delays Expected All Day
Passengers should keep up with live service updates and plan journeys carefully. Rail operators and emergency teams are working flat out to fix the flooding and get trains moving again, but delays are expected to last through today.
Keep an eye on trusted sources before you travel, and buckle up for more stormy disruption across the region.
