A major water main break in West Hollywood, California, turned streets into fast-moving streams early Thursday, flooding neighborhoods, trapping vehicles and forcing authorities to close several major roads in the area.
The break was reported near Palm Avenue and Harratt Street around 3:55 am, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Videos and aerial footage from the scene showed large volumes of water rushing through streets near the Sunset Strip, with residents navigating through several inches of floodwater.
Some vehicles were left stranded as water spread across roads, while reports indicated that floodwaters entered some first-floor apartments and underground parking garages.
The cause of the water main break remains unclear.
Crews rush to stop flooding
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) sent crews to the site to shut down the affected water line and assess the damage.
LADWP said teams were working to close large underground valves connected to the high-pressure water system. The agency explained that the process had to be carried out slowly to prevent further damage.
“Due to the highly pressurized water system, our crews must turn valves slowly and carefully to avoid causing further damage,” LADWP said.
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The department later confirmed that the damaged pipe belonged to LADWP.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Aaron Katon told KTLA about the scale of the leak, saying, “Look at the volume of water coming out, this is one of the big ones.”
Fire officials urged people to stay away from the affected area as emergency crews worked to control the flooding.
Major roads closed in West Hollywood
The flooding led authorities to shut several roads around West Hollywood, affecting commuters during the morning rush.
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According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, closures included:
- Eastbound Sunset Boulevard between Larrabee Street and Sherbourne Drive
- Eastbound Holloway Drive between Sunset Boulevard and Westmount Drive
- Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard between San Vicente Boulevard and Hancock Drive
- Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue and Hancock Avenue in both directions between Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard
Public transportation was also disrupted. Metro said on X that some bus services, including portions of Lines 16 and 105, were being diverted because of the flooding.
