Eating on Wuhan subway train blamed for rat nuisance

Screenshot of a video shows a rat on the subway of New York, US April 7, 2014. [Photo: CRI]

Screenshot of a video shows a rat on the subway of New York, US terrifies riders on April 7, 2014. [Photo: CRI]

(ECNS)-- A rat was spotted in a Wuhan subway train, causing minor chaos among passengers, and the subway company blamed it on passengers' eating on the train, a local newspaper said Tuesday.

A Wuhan citizen surnamed Huang told Chutian Metropolis Daily that she saw the rat on Subway Line 2 around 6:00 pm on Monday.

Huang said she screamed and rushed to one side of the train when she noticed the rat coming near her feet. Other passengers jumped and screamed when the rat scurried across the floor.

Huang worried that the rat might pose a safety risk on the subway.

The subway operating company said it is the first complaint about rats on the subway. Special devices have been installed to protect telecommunication equipment and cables from rats, it said, adding that the tunnels are inspected for rats every night.

"The rat is mainly induced by food from passengers," and it requests passengers not eat or litter on the subway.

Cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore do not allow eating in their transit systems. On the Chinese mainland, Guangzhou banned eating in subway cars in 2009, followed by Xi'an in 2011, according to chinadaily.com.cn.

Wuhan banned eating and drinking on subways in December 2012.

Shanghai issued a non-binding regulation asking commuters to not eat and drink on the Metro earlier this year, but failed to make much impact.

Beijing intends to bring stiffer regulations against smoking and eating in the subway this year.