Bad weather causes damage in Addu City

Strong winds and heavy rains have caused damage in Addu City.

Mayor of Addu City Abdulla Sodig told Sun Online that roofs have blown off in about 15 houses, which are now in devastated condition prompting residents to seek shelter elsewhere.

Authorities had warned that Addu City would experience bad weather on Friday. White Alert was issued from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and Yellow Alert from 4:25 a.m. to 7:25 a.m. The White Alert has been extended until 5:15 p.m.

Sodig said that many areas are flooded, some houses are left without outer walls, and trees have fallen down in the city.

Work is ongoing by Maldives Police Service, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), and National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) to drain the water from the roads and move people to shelters.

Maldives Meteorological Service (Met Office) said that winds picked up to 64 miles per hour in Addu City from 4:19 a.m. onwards on Friday. The region also experienced rain of 86 mm.

The authority says the conditions are expected to continue throughout the day, and has advised people not to travel by sea.

In addition to strong winds and heavy rain, many islands are also experiencing sea swells as a result of the ongoing bad weather.