Burst Water Main Floods Streets in Oregon Town

A water main burst in downtown Corvallis, Ore., and flooded some streets for about two hours.

The Gazette-Times reported a four-block section will be without water a day or longer while crews dig up and repair the damaged 20-inch iron pipe.

It burst about 3 p.m. Tuesday, and water initially flowed at a rate of thousands of gallons a minute.

Workers in an insurance office said the asphalt outside heaved, a car alarm went off as the pavement rose above the curb, and they at first thought it was an earthquake.

The water reached a few inches from the door to their office.

Water pressure was reduced citywide for a few hours.

City crews pumped water from basements. Damage reports were not immediately available.