Five families, including 13 children, relocated from flood-affected Male’ homes

Five families have been relocated from homes affected by extensive flooding in Male’ City on Tuesday, including over a dozen children.

Maldives experienced torrential rain over a large part of the country on Tuesday, resulting in flooding. In the Maldivian capital, Male’, nonstop rain resulted in severe flooding, damaging homes and disrupting transport.

According to updates shared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in a post on X, it received 256 requests for assistance due to flooding as of 10:30 am Wednesday.

In response to the requests for assistance, 23 individuals from five families were moved out of flood-affected homes in Male’. This includes 13 children and 10 adults.

The agency also propped gunny sacks at the entrances of 248 houses, and attended to 12 houses affected by sewage spills.

The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) said that three million liters of floodwater was pumped out of the roads of Male’ City using dewatering pumps.

The northern Maldives also experienced torrential rain, with at least 20 islands reporting flood damage to homes.

Islands in the HA. Atoll were the worst-hit, with at least six families relocated from flood-affected homes in Hoarafushi, and two families each in Baarah, Kelaa and Ihavandhoo.

Maldives Meteorological Service says that widespread rain with thunderstorms is expected to prevail over the country this week.

Following the severe flooding the previous day, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has declared Wednesday a public holiday. He has also appointed a special taskforce headed by he himself to monitor the situation and facilitate emergency response.