(CNN) A water main break Thursday sent water flowing nearly two miles away, submerging some freeways, streets and even cars in east Houston, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

"Water covering a part of the main lanes causing people to sit on the roofs of their cars," Gonzalez tweeted. All occupants are now out, he said.

The massive flooding caused "major traffic backups," Gonzalez said, as State Highway 225 was shut down at Interstate 610.

"This is a cluster, but we will get it worked out," he tweeted at one point.

This is a cluster, but we will get it worked out. I'm out here with our units, plus @houstonpolice @HoustonFire. 225 is shutdown at 610. Some businesses about a mile down are reporting no water service #HouNews https://t.co/uehpjZz02k pic.twitter.com/kyZICytihb — Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) February 27, 2020

Blaming aging infrastructure for the incident, Mayor Sylvester Turner said the 96-inch water main was 35 years old. Private contractors were working on it when it burst.

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