Dubai Aquarium reopens after leak scare
Dubai Aquarium, one of the emirate’s flagship tourist attractions, reopened on Saturday following a two-day closure after it sprung a leak and flooded Dubai Mall, UAE daily Gulf News reported on Sunday.
Chaos broke out Dubai Mall on Thursday when water began pouring out of one of the panel joints of the main tank, which holds some 10 million litres of water, forcing the evacuation and closure of part of the shopping centre.
On Saturday, however, the only evidence of the drama that unfolded was a lower water level in the main tank, the newspaper said, adding that both the aquarium’s main viewing panel and the walkthrough tunnel were once again open to the public.
The aquarium features the largest acrylic viewing panel in the world at 32.8 metres wide and 8.3 metres high, and is home to 33,000 aquatic creatures including sand tiger sharks, rays and giant groupers.
The diving centre said cage diving into the aquarium has been temporarily suspended and it did not know when it will resume, according to the paper.
The leak is the latest setback for Dubai’s tallest-and-biggest spectacles following the closure of the observation deck at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
The deck on the 124th floor was closed two weeks ago due to a elevator defect that had left tourists stranded at the top of the tower and has yet to reopen.
