Met Office cautions against strong winds and rough seas for all atolls

Maldives Meteorological Service (Met Office) has issued a cautionary advice, warning against rough seas and strong gusts of winds for the upcoming five days. The Met Office cautioned against small tidal waves in which some islands may experience following the rise in sea levels.

Following the unfavourable weather conditions, the Met Office has issued a yellow alert for islands between Haa Alif Atoll and Laamu Atoll, effective till 1500hrs. It forecasted squally showers, strong winds and rough seas for many of the islands, particularly those situated in the central region. As such, the Met Office anticipated that islands in the central region will experience wind with speeds ranging from 15 mph to 25 mph on average, while winds with speeds of 13 mph to 23 mph are expected in the southern islands. Additionally, gusts of wind are forecasted to vary between ranging 45 mph to 55 mph in the clouds.

Therefore, the MET Office urged all individuals, especially seafarers, to be cautious due to the unfavourable weather conditions. It further advised individuals to take precautions beforehand, to mitigate the damage caused by the adverse weather conditions.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) revealed that several households in Addu City have reported flooding inside the households, following the torrential downpour in the southern islands, during the past 48 hours. Addu City experienced heavy showers since October 4, with Gan experiencing 129 mm of rain.