A century-old water main, buried beneath a busy boulevard in Los Angeles, burst last night, causing a powerful gush of water onto the streets that resulted in heavy traffic congestion.

The rupture occurred in a steel pipeline dating back to 1916 in West Hollywood, which serves as one of the main arteries for transporting water from dams and reservoirs to smaller distribution pipes throughout Los Angeles. The section of the Sunset Main was scheduled to be replaced in 2031, according to the utility. In 2019, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that approximately 29% of the city’s pipes were over 80 years old, nearing their typical lifespan of 100 years.

Watch the video:

Sunset Boulevard is closed indefinitely in West Hollywood

after a massive, 100-year-old water main ruptured early Thursday morning, creating a large sinkhole directly under the traffic light at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive pic.twitter.com/BVpDI5geHc

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“We know that these road closures and the impact on traffic are causing disruption, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as crews work to secure the area, assess the damage, and begin repairs,” Heilman also said in a statement. Authorities do not yet know what caused the pipeline to rupture.

Water pressure usually rises sharply at night when fewer people are using it, a local official said. “Everyone is asleep. That’s why breaks in the main water line usually occur then,” he explained.

The flooding affected the Sunset Strip, a bustling area with restaurants, bars, and shops. The Dialog Cafe, a popular brunch spot, has temporarily closed after sustaining “significant damage” from the water leak, the restaurant said in a social media post on Thursday, adding: “We don’t yet know exactly when we’ll be able to reopen.”

Source: Tanea.gr