Up to 5 feet of water pours into Los Angeles homes after a ruptured pipe

A water-pipe rupture in Venice, California, triggered sudden flooding Saturday afternoon, pushing water into nearby homes and leaving residents with significant damage.

For residents living near Venice Way and Main Street, the sudden surge was more than a startling infrastructure failure. It quickly turned into an expensive, chaotic disaster unfolding inside their homes.

What happened?

Saturday's pipe break near Venice Way and Main Street sent floodwater through the surrounding area, and some spots were reported to be under roughly five feet of water at the peak, according to KTLA.

A handful of homes were heavily damaged. Footage supplied by a resident showed water rushing down a staircase inside one of the houses, and losses to the affected homes reached into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Justin Silver said the incident began with what sounded like a pop and then a rapid rush of water as the flooding took off.

"I see this stream of water flowing … and then before you know it, it's a river," Silver told KTLA.

KTLA reported that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power responded after the rupture, but repair work reportedly also led to a severed gas line. The flooding did not reach the level of the separate West Hollywood water-main break earlier in the week, though it still caused serious disruption.

Why does it matter?

When buried water infrastructure fails, residents can be left facing cleanup costs, repairs, and possible displacement.

Flooding inside a home can destroy flooring, walls, furniture, appliances, and personal keepsakes, while also creating problems such as mold growth and indoor air-quality issues if cleanup is delayed.

What's being done?

Crews from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power went to the scene to address the rupture, and the reported gas-line problem underscored how emergency repair efforts can become more difficult when other utility systems are affected.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.