Weather alert downgraded from 'orange' to 'yellow' for Male’ area

Maldives Meteorological Service has downgraded the orange alert for possible flooding it issued for the Male’ area earlier Sunday to a yellow alert.

Meteorological Service had issued orange alert for torrential rain, thunderstorms, and possible flooding for the area from K. Atoll to ADh. Atoll for until 05:30 pm.

The service has now replaced it with a yellow alert for the area from Lh. Atoll to V. Atoll, effective from 05:30 pm to 09:30 pm. The office warns that the area will be affected by torrential rain and thunderstorms with gusts of 45 miles per hour.

The rain, which began lashing the Male’ area on Saturday night, continues well into Sunday evening. This has resulted in severe flooding, including in the capital.

Soldiers have been deployed across the country to dewater flooded streets and stack sand bags in entrances of buildings to prevent flood water from seeping in.

Maldives has been experiencing bad weather since last week, due to the onset of the Northeast Monsoon (Iruvai Monsoon).

The national weather forecast service said the bad weather has been exacerbated by a low-pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea.