Zoom Image
Water and debris: Times Square in New York
Photograph:
Marc A. Hermann / AP
The rupture of an old water pipe from 1896 under Times Square has caused flooding and train cancellations in the US metropolis of New York.
While in the early hours of the morning the water on the streets around the popular tourist attraction was only a few centimeters high, pictures on social networks showed flooded stairwells in the subway station in Times Square. The tracks were also affected by flooding.
It took the Office of Environmental Protection to locate the source of the leak only after an hour. As a result of the subsequent construction work, a large hole was created at an intersection in Times Square, and traffic had to be diverted.
In large parts of Manhattan, subway traffic was temporarily interrupted. According to estimates by the New York Times, about 300,000 people were affected during the morning rush hour.
atb/AP