MORE IN THE ACCUWEATHER FORECAST IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. >> THANK YOU LEE. WE'LL SEE YOU IN A FEW MINUTES. A TOTAL MESS AND EVEN THAT ISN'T ENOUGH TO REALLY DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AT THE QUEENS-MIDTOWN TUNNEL. BOTH TUBES SHUT DOWN AFTER A CONSTRUCTION WORKER DRILLED A HOLE AND RELEASED THE WATER FROM THE EAST RIVER, POURING INTO THE TUNNEL. MORE THAN 80,000 CARS A DAY USE THAT TUNNEL DRENCHED IN WATER FROM THE RIVER ISN'T A GOOD PLACE TO BE. HERE'S SONIA RINC¢N. >> REPORTER THE THOUGHT OF BEING IN A CAR, GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL WHEN IT SPRINGS A LEAK MIGHT RANK AMONG NEW YORKERS WORST FEARS. IT HAPPENED IN THE QUEENS-MIDTOWN TUNNEL, SOUTH TUBE. AFTER A CITY CONTRACTOR'S DRILL PERFORATED IT FROM THE OUTSIDE AT AROUND 1230. THIS AFTERNOON. >> WE DETERMINED IT WAS THE DRILLING CONTRACTOR WHO DRILLED ABOUT A 2.5IN HOLE THROUGH THE CAST IRON LINER, WHICH IS ABOVE THE EXHAUST DUCT. >> THE MAYOR GOT A LOOK INSIDE THE LEAKY SOUTH TUBE TONIGHT, WITH EAST RIVER WATER STILL DRIBBLING THROUGH THE EXHAUST DUCTS AS THE MTA GOT IT PUMPED OUT AND PATCHED UP. BOTH TUBES WERE BACK OPEN BEFORE RUSH HOUR WAS OVER, BUT THE BACKUPS WOULD TAKE HOURS TO CLEAR WITH ONLY BICYCLES GETTING PAST THE BOTTLENECK ON SECOND AVENUE. >> IT'S BEEN HORRIBLE. WE HAVEN'T. I'VE BEEN IN THAT INTERSECTION LIKE BLOCKING IT FOR THREE NIGHTS. IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS SO BAD. >> THE GRIDLOCK TONIGHT HERE ON SECOND AVENUE IN THE EAST 30S. AND 40S IS KIND OF LIKE A PREVIEW OF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEEK NEXT WEEK. DRIVERS ARE FRUSTRATED, BORED AND BARELY MOVING FOR HALF AN HOUR. >> TWO BLOCKS. >> WHERE ARE YOU TRYING TO GO? HOME. ARE YOU GOING THROUGH THE TUNNEL? UNFORTUNATELY, THE REASON FOR THE DRILLING THAT LED TO THE MISHAP HAD TO DO WITH THE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S WORK ON A NEW ESPLANADE BY THE UN ALONG THE RIVER. >> THEY WERE DOING AN INVESTIGATIVE DRILLING TO DETERMINE GEOTECHNICAL CONDITIONS IN THE RIVER. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS. >> BUT MORE IMPORTANT, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS, TONIGHT IS MAKING SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. >> I'LL BE PRAYING AS I DRIVE THROUGH THE