The families who were evacuated from flooded homes in the heavy rains over the weekend have since returned home, but the extent of the damage is still being assessed, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said.
Maldives experienced heavy rains during the weekend leaving large parts of the capital Male’ flooded. Forty people from four different households had to be moved to temporary shelters due to flooding. In addition to Male’, five other islands in Kaafu Atoll had also suffered severe flooding.
NDMA Chief Executive Hisan Hassan told PSM News that several homes had reported flood damage in the five islands. A damage assessment of the islands is being conducted and information is being collected, he said.
Most of the residential areas in the islands had been flooded, while some islands had reported sewage leakages due to flooding.
Hisan said NDMA will collect information on damages to household items including furniture and electronics during the assessment.
Proactive measures by the authorities had limited flood damage in Male’.
According to NDMA, sandbags had been put up in over 200 houses to prevent flooding while pumps were set up in key areas to quickly drain the flooded streets.