Water main break floods lower Manhattan

LOWER MANHATTAN The main at Church and White Streets broke shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday leaving some 500 people and businesses in the neighborhood without water Tuesday morning.

Spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla at the Department of Environmental Protection says the flood was turned off at 7:15 a.m., and crews have been working to repair the broken line.

Padilla says the DEP expects to have the water restored in the area by some time this afternoon.

Traffic in a four-block area was affected during the day, with portions of Sixth Avenue blocked off until noon.