Broken water main floods LA boulevard

A Los Angeles firefighter helps a driver whose car became stranded on Sunset Boulevard. Picture: Steve Gentry

A Los Angeles firefighter helps a driver whose car became stranded on Sunset Boulevard. Picture: Steve Gentry

Published Jul 31, 2014

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Los Angeles -

Too much water was something California has been dreaming about during long months of severe drought and water rationing.

But on Wednesday, the storied Sunset Boulevard that runs across the city and through Hollywood suffered from the opposition problem: too much water.

The boulevard remained closed after a more than 90-year-old water main broke on Tuesday and flooded the street.

Up to 37 million litres spilled onto the street, when the ageing 75cm-wide steel-rivetted water main failed, causing a 4.5m-wide sinkhole to open up in the middle of the street.

Some valves were still leaking on Wednesday, according to the Los Angles Department of Water (LADWP).

The closure in both directions was expected to continue on Thursday and possibly longer, causing a major traffic nightmare for Los Angeles residents. - Sapa-dpa

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