Octopus Floods Aquarium

An octopus the size of a person’s forearm when stretched out all the way caused massive flooding at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium last Thursday. The sea creature swam to the top of its tank and took apart the recycling system’s valve, causing approximately 200 gallons of water to flood into the building, including the children’s exhibit where the octopus was on display.

Officials at the aquarium guess that water continuously flowed for about 10 hours before the problem was discovered. Fortunately, the little octopus was not hurt nor endangered in any way by her actions.

Although the aquarium is built over the beach, it has no floor drains. The LA Times reports that after the staff’s attempts to clean-up, “the only significant damage was to newly installed ecologically sensitive flooring in several offices. It consists of linseed-and-cork tiles that soaked up the seawater and squished beneath workers’ feet the rest of the day.”

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When businesses experience flooding, expert disaster recovery specialists need to be called to help clean and assess the damage from the water. The quicker the clean-up, the faster one can be back in business. The proper cleaning and drying of items after a flood can prevent mold and further damage to the item or building.

Read more about how businesses can recover from a flood.