UCLA under water after 10 million gallons explode from water main

LOS ANGELES, July 30 (UPI) -- A water main exploded near the University of California-Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon, flooding much of the campus, Sunset Boulevard and Pauley Pavilion.

The 93-year-old pipe exploded at roughly 3:30 p.m., sending a geyser some 20 feet into the air just as rush hour was getting underway, diverting traffic and creating major problems around campus. Although no injuries were reported, flood waters were shin-deep in places, with students boogie boarding around campus and sliding down wet railings.

"That is probably one of the most dangerous things you can do," Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Jaime Moore told the Los Angeles Times. "For somebody to try and boogie board in this, it's just going to be an asphalt bath."

"People are standing in the water almost out of a sense of amusement," echoed fellow firefighter Brian Humphrey to KTLA.

"It doesn't take much more than an ankle depth of water to sweep somebody into harm's way, so we're hoping to get UCLA campus officials to move people here away ... from this very dramatic cascade of water."

All told, officials estimate between eight and ten million gallons of water flooded the area before the water was finally shut off.

This is Pauley Pavilion right now #sunsetflood #ucla. See more photos here: http://t.co/laljKVgoI5 Gene Blevins photo pic.twitter.com/yHqJKJNqBn

— Inside SoCal Sports (@InsideSoCalSpts) July 30, 2014

MUST-SEE VIDEO: Broken water main floods UCLA campus and wastes millions of gallons: http://t.co/cChcwh1PRi pic.twitter.com/AFTx1e9Q1J

— WRAL NEWS in NC (@WRAL) July 30, 2014

Boogie boards and inflatable boats on Sunset Boulevard after water main bursts: Mil... http://t.co/15yKTsPr5x Source: Wash. Post

— Ahmet Kirac (@twanchor) July 30, 2014