A CENTURY-OLD 30-INCH pipe burst on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, spewing as much as thousands of litres of water a minute and flooded a university campus nearby.
Repairs to the pipe are currently on-going.
The burst pipe sent water as high as 10 metres into the air, and has left a hole in the street five metres deep.
No injuries have been reported, but emergency services rescued five people who were stranded on the university’s campus.
More than 100 cars were stuck, city fire officials said.
The 93-year-old high-pressure line of riveted steel pipe spewed a geyser of water for more than three hours before it could be safely shut down without causing more damage, officials said.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the city is currently replacing these old pipes, but it is a task that could take decades to complete.
The paper notes that the area was flooded with as much as 10 million gallons, or 37,850,000 litres.
The break came amid a historic drought when residents are now being threatened with $500 fines for overuse.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
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