Huge torrent of water races down West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip destroying homes

Terrifying flood waters from a water main break filled the streets of West Hollywood Thursday morning, distressing morning commuters.

A “major water main break” occurred in the area of Sunset Blvd and Holloway Dr, the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Office told The California Post.

Police said they did not know how the main break came about and were just doing traffic control in the area. They were inundated with calls about the floods.

Video from the area shows heavy flood water rushing down the streets of West Hollywood and around cars. Some eyewitnesses in the area reported that first-floor apartments and underground garages were flooded. Several cars also appeared to be trapped.

Shocking footage from NBC LA showed the area’s popular Dialog Cafe take on an incredible amount of water from an artificial river running downhill south on Palm Ave. Thousands of gallons of water is seen rushing downhill at the scene.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Aaron Katon exclaimed at the amount of water coming out of the water main at the scene.

“Look at the volume of water coming out, this is one of the big ones,” he told KTLA. Firefighters also told the outlet that they are working to turn off the water, and people should stay out of the area.

The LA County Fire Department also called it a “major water main break” in the area of Palm and Harratt in West Hollywood and has units on the scene.

Water crews were trying to determine which agency controls the burst main, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power wrote in a press release that they are “aware” of the main break and “water crews have been onsite working to carefully and methodically close large diameter valves located underground to turn off the water and assess and repair the damage.”

“Due to the highly pressurized water system, our crews must turn valves slowly and carefully to avoid causing further damage,” they added.

LADWP confirmed to the California Post that the pipe does belong to them.

The following streets are closed, according to NBC LA:

• Sunset Boulevard, eastbound, between Larrabee Street and Sherbourne Drive.
• Holloway Drive, eastbound, between Sunset Boulevard and Westmount Drive.
• Santa Monica Boulevard, eastbound, between San Vicente Boulevard and Hancock Drive.
• Larrabee Street, Palm Avenue and Hancock Avenue, in both directions, between Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard.

Residents in the area should expect traffic delays. City buses have also been redirected around the scene.

It’s unclear what caused the water main break.

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