Clearwater Marine Aquarium is back open this week after sustaining significant flooding and damage during Hurricane Helene.

Its damage is mostly concealed from guests, but in the areas where the animals are cared for behind the scenes the storm's impact is still apparent.

"As you walk through you can see the water level was up about four feet," explained VP of Zoological Care Kelly Martin. "So we took all the drywall out and everything down to the studs."

Martin, who hunkered down at the aquarium through the hurricane to keep an eye on the marine life, said sandbags were no match for the storm surge in Clearwater.

"It came in so quickly. In a matter of minutes, it came up through the drains, in through the roadways and over the sea wall," said Martin. "It's devastating to see the facility where you work in the state it was in. There's water damage, there's stains, there's equipment not working at all, there's no lights!"

Roughly two weeks later, Hurricane Milton took out more fencing, lights and solar panels.

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