All through Sunday, fire and environmental protection crews repaired a water main break in Kingsbridge, Bronx that affected water service for hundreds of customers and interrupted area subway and bus lines.

The break occurred at 231st Street and Broadway around 6 a.m. Sunday, leaving several surrounding blocks with no water pressure, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.

By 6:30 a.m. crews thought they the situation under control, but then the sidewalk started to crumble, creating a huge gaping hole that stretched along half the street in one of the Bronx's busiest intersections.

"It looks almost like a bomb hit it, although that's not the case. The sidewalk is undermined completely, there's a hole in the street," said Bronx Councilman Oliver Koppell. "And this is just about the worst place in the community where this could happen because all the buses converge on this corner, as well as a lot of traffic going from Kingsbridge to Riverdale."

"It'll be a disaster for the community if this is not dealt with quickly," said Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

Number 1 subway service at the 231st Street station was resumed by the late afternoon, but several bus lines still experienced detours around the damaged streets.

The water flooded nearby businesses and one owner, Jamil Misch of Riverdale Parking, said he did not have any flood insurance.

Misch said the water came up to his thigh and that some vehicles on his garage's lower level were completely submerged.

"I'm trying to save my cars," said Misch.

Once the water subsidized, the streets were muddy and some residents had no water pressure, while others had no hot water.

"It was brutal, very cold," said a local.

At the nearby Land and Sea Diner, staff were worried that the damaged roads kept away their Sunday crowd.

"Now they can't drive through. They aren't going to think about coming on Broadway if they hear what's going on," said Maria Koumoulous of Land and Sea Diner.

DEP officials expected water pressure to be fully restored by 10 p.m. Sunday, but did not know when the area's cleanup effort would be completed.

Some discolored water came through the pipes, but DEP officials said it was safe to drink.

As of Sunday evening, the cause of the water main break was still under investigation.