International banks in London’s famous Square Mile were battling to house and transport key staff after the explosions disrupted bus and train services. The deadly blasts left banks scrambling to implement disaster plans and thousands of workers facing a long trek home and back again on Friday.

Several banks said they planned to put key staff up in hotels overnight and organize for others to work from home.

Britain’s Barclays Plc closed 17 bank branches after the blasts and shut about 100 branches about an hour early.

The third-largest British bank was hiring buses and planned to use boats on the river Thames to transport staff.

US bank Citigroup said its operations were largely unaffected by the explosions.—Reuters