In this aerial photo, water is slowly draining from the freeway after a water main break east of the location flooded all lanes, closing the freeway in both directions, at the intersection of 610 and Clinton Drive, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, in east Houston. Businesses and schools shut down Thursday after a main line from a plant that supplies water to about half of Houston burst open, submerging vehicles on the flooded freeway. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
HOUSTON (AP) — Schools and businesses in Houston remained closed Friday and a boil order was in effect for parts of the city after a water pipe ruptured, flooding a freeway in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
The 35-year-old water main burst open Thursday as a contractor was trying to repair a leak at a plant that supplies water to about half of the city, officials said.
Flash flooding from the break submerged vehicles on an eastern section of Loop 610, a highway that circles the city. No one was injured and the freeway reopened early Friday.
All of Harris County courts were closed Friday because of the water main break. The school district for the nation’s fourth-largest city says schools would be closed Friday so that workers could inspect facilities to make sure they were functioning properly.
