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Central Park West Water Main Break Wreaks Havoc On Subway Lines

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Monday morning water main rupture near 106th Street and Central Park West forced full suspension on the B and C lines and significant problems for the A and D lines.

CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez reported that the MTA is still pumping out the flooded tracks, but that they expect to have the trains running normally by 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

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As of 11 p.m. Monday night, the MTA says downtown A trains are terminating at 168th Street Station.

For the latest on the service disruption, click here.

Uptown trains A are also terminating at the 59th Street-Columbus Circle Station and there is no C train service in both directions between the Euclid Avenue Station and the 168th Street Station, according to the MTA.

As an alternative for service between 59th Street and 168th Street, the MTA  advises customers to use the 1 train and the M10 bus on Central Park West.

There is no B train service in both directions between the 145th Street Station and the Brighton Beach Station.  Downtown D trains terminate at 161st Street-Yankee Stadium Station. Uptown D trains terminate at the 34th Street-Herald Square Station.

As an alternative for subway service to and in the Bronx, customers are advised to take the 4 train.

The main ruptured at around 11:30 a.m. Monday. It was capped less than two hours later, but significant damage had already been done.  The break caused a huge mess of sinkholes and tar.

The break left a crater on 106th Street and flooded the basement and lobby of a nearby building.  It also caused flooding at a nearby parking garage, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.  The water also ran into the subway and up to 125th Street.

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"It was legitimately a river flowing over what looked like happened to an earthquake. You know, you see these earthquake photos, the road is just like waves," Mary Silverstein told CBS 2's Emily Smith.  "My boyfriend went down to the first floor and the ground was shaking so violently."

"All we hear was like a big splash.  I was taking a nap and it woke me up, come outside and it's like everywhere," Jean Carlos Valentine said.

Fortunately, the break didn't disrupt gas or water service in the area. The 30-inch main is nearly 100 years old, dating back to 1917.

Water Main Break Manhattan
Flooding from a water main break is seen at West 106th Street and Central Park West - New York, NY - Sep 19, 2011 (credit: Alex Silverman / WCBS 880)

The cause of the break is under investigation. DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland said it will take some time for the necessary repairs to be made.

So what caused it to happen?  Officials say they won't know for quite some time.

"We'll take it and put it under a microscope, but that testing will take several weeks to a couple months to get back -- and then we'll know definitively, but too early to speculate," said Deputy Commissioner of Water and Sewer Operations James Roberts.

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