LONDON — Four London-bound passenger trains broke down Saturday in the Channel Tunnel, stranding more than 2,000 passengers for hours, many without heating, light or water.

Eurostar executives suspended service, blaming the breakdowns in the trains from Paris on wintry weather conditions on both side of the English Channel. Some passengers described a chaotic, poorly organized evacuation.

"Eurostar is very, very sorry that so many passengers were inconvenienced last night and this morning due to weather conditions in northern France," chief executive Richard Brown said. "We are working hard to get passengers home; we will give them full refunds and another ticket."

Brown blamed the breakdowns on extremely low temperatures and heavy snow in northern France, which he called the worst in eight years. The problem began because of the abrupt temperature change when trains traveled through extremely cold air in France and then entered the warm tunnel, he said.