Shark-filled Aquarium in Dubai Mall Cracks Open

Environment News Service 25 Feb 10;

DUBAI, February 25, 2010 (ENS) - The world's largest shopping mall was partially evacuated today as a crack opened in an enormous aquarium full of sharks, frightening shoppers and gushing water onto the floors.

Maintenance crews at the Dubai Mall rushed to the scene to contain the leak, which was captured in an amateur video taken by a shopper.

According to a spokesperson for Emaar Retail, which manages the Dubai Mall and the aquarium, "A leakage was noticed at one of the panel joints of the Dubai Aquarium at the Dubai Mall and was immediately fixed by the aquarium's maintenance team."

"The leakage did not impact the aquarium environment or the safety of the aquatic animals," said the spokesperson in a statement. "The Dubai Aquarium works with international experts in aquarium management and upholds the highest safety standards in its management."

The ground floor and basement around the aquarium was evacuated and the area has been cordoned off. The aquarium is closed to the public indefinitely.

A spokesman for the civil defense force in the Persian Gulf city-state told reporters that "the situation is under control and a team is working on fixing the problem." As many as 300 cleaners were deployed to mop the water off the floors.

Open since November 2008, the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo has over 33,000 aquatic animals and holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest acrylic viewing panel - 32.88 meters wide by 8.3 meters high by 750 mm thick and weighing 245,614 kilograms.

The thick acrylic viewing panel must withstand the pressure of the 10 million liters of water used in the aquarium, but its transparency gives visitors clear views of over 33,000 marine animals on display.

More than one million visitors have attended the aquarium, located in the mall adjacent to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which opened in January.

The 270-degree walkthrough tunnel leads viewers through the aquarium and Underwater Zoo, which features 36 aquatic displays in three ecological zones: rainforest, rocky shore, and living ocean.

Aquatic animals featured include: penguins, crocodiles, octopus, piranhas, spider crabs, water rats, giant catfish, lizards and tiger fish. An attraction at the aquarium is the Shark Dive, introduced in May 2009 as a first in the region within a mall environment.