24-hour spell of bad weather to cloak the Maldives

The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) has stated that the weather across the entire country will be adverse for the next 24 hours.

The Maldives Meteorological Service revealed that from 10am Wednesday to 10am Thursday, rain showers will be experienced across several areas along with thunderstorms, and it is expected that some islands will experience heavy rainfall. They also said that winds will gust from southwest to westerly at speeds between 10 and 20 miles per hour, and it is expected that wind speeds may increase to approximately 35 miles per hour in squalls.

Due to the heavy rainfall affecting several regions of the Maldives, heavy rainfall has also been occurring in the capital Malé City, and relevant authorities have appealed on the public to take precautionary measures. The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has also made efforts to drain flood water and place sandbags at the entrances of residential buildings and shops.

MMS went on to note that the sea will be moderately rough and rough in squalls, with wave heights of three to six feet.

In addition to this, the weather department issued a yellow alert from Kaafu atoll to Laamu atoll from 10:45am to 2pm on Wednesday. They also issued a white alert from Kaafu atoll to Gaaf Dhaal atoll from 9:45am to 3:30pm.

MMS urged caution from all parties, due to the adverse weather conditions. The department has especially appealed on seafarers to practice caution.