A major water main break in West Hollywood flooded homes, apartments and parked cars in the early hours of Thursday, prompting the closure of multiple major roads and drawing a personal visit from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The incident highlights the fragility of the city's ageing water infrastructure, with officials noting some of the affected pipes are over a century old, and comes just months after similar water-related disruption hit the same area around the Sunset Strip.

The rupture occurred in a 36-inch steel pipe near the junction of Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive at around 2:30am, according to Anselmo Collins of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Water was shut off by roughly 7:30am, with crews working cautiously given the high pressure in the pipes. West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman said all residents were safe, with only some street flooding and flooded sub-garages reported, and confirmed no evacuations were expected. The city has not yet set a timeline for repairs and is coordinating with the LADWP and the Metropolitan Water District on next steps.