A major water main burst in West Hollywood, californiaStreets turned into fast-flowing streams early Thursday, flooding neighborhoods, trapping vehicles and forcing authorities to close several major roads in the area.
The parking incident was reported around 3:55 a.m. near Palm Avenue and Hallett Street. Los Angeles County Fire Department. Video and aerial footage from the scene showed huge amounts of water rushing through streets near Sunset Boulevard, with residents navigating through several inches of floodwater.
Some vehicle Many people were trapped as water spread onto roads, while there were reports of flooding entering some first-floor apartments and underground car parks.
The cause of the water main break is unknown.
Crews rush to stem flooding
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) sent crews to the scene to shut down affected water lines and assess damage.
LADWP said teams are working to close large underground valves connected to the high-pressure water system. The agency explained that the process must be carried out slowly to prevent further damage.
“Due to the high-pressure water system, our crews had to turn the valve slowly and carefully to avoid causing further damage,” LADWP said.
The department later determined that the damaged pipeline belonged to LADWP.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Aaron Katon spoke to KTLA about the scale of the leak, saying, “Look at the amount of water coming out, this is one of the largest leaks.”
Fire officials urged people to stay away from the affected areas and emergency crews worked to control the flooding.
Major road closures in West Hollywood
The flooding caused authorities to close several roads around West Hollywood, affecting commuters during the morning rush hour.
Also read: Missouri state of emergency: Blackhawks rescue stranded campers amid historic flooding event
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, closures include:
- Eastbound Sunset Boulevard between Larrabee Street and Sherbourne Drive
- Eastbound Holloway Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Westmount Avenue
- Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard between San Vicente Boulevard and Hancock Boulevard
- Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue and Hancock Avenue in both directions between Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard
Public transport has also been disrupted. Metro said on Sunday that some bus services, including parts of Route 16 and Route 105, were being diverted due to flooding.
