Orange Alert Issued as Weather Worsens from Kaafu to Vaavu Atoll

The Maldives Meteorological Service (MET) has upgraded its weather warning to an orange alert for areas from Kaafu Atoll to Vaavu Atoll, as heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue. The alert was issued at 8:50 PM and will remain in effect until 10:30 PM tonight. Earlier today at 5:00 PM, a yellow alert had been issued for the same region, forecasting heavy rain with thunderstorms and wind speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. However, as conditions intensified, the warning level was raised to orange, the third-highest level. An orange alert is typically issued when rainfall is expected to reach 90 millimetres within one hour or 120 millimetres within six hours. Heavy rain has already caused flooding on many roads in the capital Male', and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Fire and Rescue Service has deployed pumps to drain water in various parts of the city. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged the public to take precautionary measures, including placing sandbags to prevent water from entering homes, moving food and other valuables to higher ground, securing loose objects that could be blown away by strong winds, turning off unused electrical appliances, and preparing emergency supplies. According to MET, the western monsoon has strengthened over the Maldives region, and cloud formations over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are bringing heavy rain clouds over the atolls. Over the next 24 hours, various parts of the country are expected to experience scattered showers, with some islands receiving heavy rainfall. Winds are expected from the west-southwest and west at speeds between 10 and 20 miles per hour, with waves between 4 and 7 feet high. Authorities have advised those travelling by sea to take full safety precautions and pay close attention to the weather over the next three days, particularly in the northern and central atolls where strong winds and rough seas are expected.