Floods Racked Up Damages Worth MVR 2.2 Million to Male’ Households, NDMA Reveals

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said today that the flooding in Male’, caused by the heavy rains this past weekend, damaged households up to MVR 2.2 million. 

In a post on X, the authority said these were damages accumulated by residential households alone. This amount does not include damages to businesses, warehouses, or other places that suffered damage due to the flooding. 

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NDMA said the damages accumulated by the flooding in the atolls amount to MVR 800,000. This is exclusive of damages suffered by farmlands, businesses, and warehouses.

This was the largest disaster relief and response carried out by NDMA, costing MVR 61,500. An additional MVR 200,000 was spent on providing relief and temporary housing to flood victims. 

Male’ recorded 109.8 millimetres of rain within three hours on Friday, January 3, between 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM. This was a record rainfall for Male within a three-hour period, NDMA said. Additionally, Male’ also experienced record amounts of rainfall within a 24-hour period on January 3, with 161.9 millimetres of rainfall.

NDMA said it received over 740 reports asking for help during Friday’s rainfall. The authority provided temporary housing for two days for 226 people from 27 of the 56 households that reported heavy damages due to flooding. 

ބޯކޮށް ވާރޭ ވެހުމާާއި އުދަ އެރުމުގެ ސަބަބުން މިހާތަނަށް 6 ރަށެއްގައި ފެންބޮޑުވެގެން ރިޕޯޓު ލިބިފައިވޭ . އެއީ އުދައަރައިގެން ށ.ނަރުދޫ އަދި ރ. އިނގުރައިދޫ. ވާރޭ ވެހި ފެންބޮޑުވެގެން ދ. ކުޑަހުވަދޫ، ދ.މީދޫ،ފ.ނިލަންދޫ އަދި ފ. މަގޫދޫ. – pic.twitter.com/yg7zuNltqf— NDMA Maldives (@NDMAmv) January 3, 2025

To aid with the flooding, NDMA provided over 20,000 sandbags to the residents of Male’. 

Raa Atoll Inguraidhoo and Shaviyani Narudhoo reported swell waves the past weekend. NDMA said eight islands reported heavy flooding due to rainfall as well; Alifu Alifu Atoll Maamigili, Meedhoo and Kudahuvadhoo from Dhaalu Atoll, Feeali, Magoodhoo and Nilandhoo from Faafu Atoll, and Hinmafushi and Guraidhoo from Kaafu Atoll. 

The authority said they are providing aid for the people affected by the floods as mandated by the Regulation on the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance, Relief and Recovery Aid in Disasters.