The aquarium, opened in 2008, was promoted as being an "indoor ocean." It was designed to hold more than 33,000 mammals, representing more than 85 species, including over 400 sharks and rays combined.
However, Dubai Mall Spokesman has said that the leakage was immediately brought under control by the aquarium maintenance team without causing any environmental effect or harm to the species. He added that the Dubai Aquarium cooperates with the international experts in the aquarium management fields and adheres to the implementation of the world class safety specifications.
Amateur video footage posted on the Web showed what appeared to be hundreds of gallons of water showering down on the polished tiled floor of the Dubai Mall, which sits in the shadow of the world's tallest tower.
The breach in the 2.6 million gallon tank at the mall, open little more than a year, was quickly plugged and caused no harm to the 33,000 fish inside, according to mall owner Emaar Properties. It was not clear when the attraction featuring an "underwater" tunnel would reopen.
The mall owners said the leak appeared in a panel joint in the tank and was immediately fixed by engineers. "There was a small problem, a simple crack, and the water leaked," a police official said, declining to be named.
Visitors were kept far from the scene shortly after the water began pouring from behind the 2-1/2 foot thick viewing panel, making it difficult to gauge the extent of the damage. From a distance, most of the water and fish appeared to be contained inside the tank.
Emaar's chairman Mohammed Alabbar was earlier quoted as denying there was a leak in the aquarium, saying there was a "technical fault in the operating device," according to a statement carried on the official news agency WAM.
The timing is unfortunate for Dubai, which is trying to restore its once gilded image as it wades through a torrent of negative publicity generated by its burst property bubble, crippling debt pile and the assassination of a top Hamas commander in an airport hotel last month.
The incident also raises new questions about building safety in the city-state, which pushed through ever more extravagant and complicated construction projects until the economic downturn halted its rapid-fire growth. Less than three weeks ago, trapped tourists had to be pulled from a stuck elevator in the mall owner's record-breaking Burj Khalifa skyscraper nearby. The world's largest tower, due to accept its first permanent tenants in March, has yet to reopen to the public.
Mahmoud Hamid, a spokesman for the Dubai civil defense department, described the leak as "a small break in the glass" that maintenance crews were able to close later in the day.
Emaar confirmed the aquarium breach in a brief emailed statement Thursday afternoon.
"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 company said.
"The leakage did not impact the aquarium environment or the safety of the aquatic animals." The company added that it "upholds the highest safety standards in its management." It did not make anyone available to comment further.
Much of the area around the aquarium was evacuated and cordoned off. Three mall security employees were seen entering the area wearing orange life jackets.
An employee working for the offsite ticket office who did not provide his name said late Thursday that the aquarium would not reopen Friday. He said it was undergoing "maintenance" and was closed indefinitely.
Shopkeepers near the aquarium said they were ordered to close their stores and evacuate the area for fear of further flooding while the aquarium was repaired.
"They told me that the aquarium exploded," an employee of a nearby shoe store that was ordered shut said on condition of anonymity, because she did not want to jeopardize her business. "We feel upset because it's the end of the month and the start of the weekend and we were expecting many customers," she said.
However, Alena Markovich, a manager of a clothing store that remained open for business Thursday, said the security response was swift and appropriate.
"They are doing their best," she said.
The shark, stingray and fish-filled tank is located on the mall's ground floor, next to upscale clothing shops and not far from an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink and the only international branch of high-end retailer Bloomingdale's.
The aquarium contains 2.6 million gallons of water, and measures 164 feet across and 36 feet high. It boasts the world's largest acrylic viewing panel.
Mall owner Emaar is also the builder of the neighboring Burj Khalifa.
(With input from agencies)
