Cyclone Roanu gathers strength, but headed away from Maldives

Maldives Meteorological Center has said that the cyclone which formed in northern Maldives last Monday had gathered strength, but was forecasted to travel away from Maldives.

Met Office released a statement on Thursday, saying that the tropical cyclone which formed in northern Maldives was slowly heading away, past Sri Lanka, towards Bay of Bengal.

The cyclone has been named “Roanu”.

The center said that heavy rain had fallen on Maldives during the past 24 hours.

Heaviest rainfall recorded in:

• Th. Veymandoo (170 millimeters of rain)

• L. Kahdhoo (107 millimeters of rain)

• Hulhule’ (91 millimeters of rain)

Met office said that the strongest winds during the past 24 hours had been recorded in Addu City – with 52 mph winds recorded at Gan.

The center forecasts more thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to some islands of Maldives within the next 24 hours.