Exterior walls of two homes collapse as waves sweep in Hithadhoo

Exterior walls of two homes collapsed in Addu City's Hithadhoo on Sunday, after waves swept in from the beachside of the island.

Speaking to Sun, Hithadhoo Korovau constituency’s council member Ibrahim Shinaz said the exterior walls of two homes – Evening Park and Ocome Village – collapsed with the waves Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the two homes, a third home, Hulhudhoo’aage, is also located at the beachside of Hulhudhoo. Shinaz said all three homes are being impacted by swell waves. He noted that the residents of the homes had built a concrete wall to minimize damage from waves.

Speaker further, Shinaz said the incident occurred at a time when the shore protection project at Hithadhoo, initiated during former administration, had been stymied. The project, contracted to state-owned MTCC, is half completed, he said, adding homes located in the area where shore protection had been implemented were not impacted by the swell waves at all.

Shinaz said efforts were underway to implement a temporary solution to the problem by discussing with MTCC.

“The council’s request to the government is for the completion of the project at the earliest, for a permanent solution,” he added.

North Hithadhoo’s southern area is being significantly eroded, with some parts being eroded up to the exterior walls of homes located on the premises.

The Hithadhoo shore protection project, valued at MVR 11.46 million, involves leveling 6981 cubic meters of sand in the eroded area, construction of a 100-meter breakwater and the fixation of geotube structures at 570-meters. Physical works on the project commenced in October 2022. Back then, MTCC said they expect to complete the work by early 2023. However, the work still remains incomplete.