The Maldives Meteorological Service has placed a vast swath of the country on alert, warning that overnight tidal swells could inundate low-lying coastal areas from Kaafu Atoll all the way to Addu City. The White Alert advisory remains active from 10:00 p.m. until 2:30 a.m., with authorities urging residents and travelers along the affected zone to exercise heightened caution.
The overnight warning follows a chaotic Sunday in the capital, where powerful tides breached coastal defenses and caused widespread flooding across several key districts of Malé City. Heavy ocean surges overtopped wave barriers at Raalhugandu, washing sand and debris across nearby thoroughfares and disrupting traffic. Floodwaters also swept through the Carnival area and the Industrial Village, damaging numerous parked vehicles with saltwater, while newly reclaimed sections of Boduthakurufaanu Magu currently undergoing redevelopment were similarly submerged.
Meteorologists warn that the threat has not yet passed. Tidal records show that Sunday’s highest tide peaked at 0.74 meters around mid-day, but Monday’s high tide is projected to reach an even higher peak of 0.79 meters at 12:28 p.m. Officials caution that if large ocean swells coincide with these elevated daytime tides, low-lying islands across the central and southern atolls could face a renewed risk of coastal flooding. Residents in vulnerable shorefront areas are advised to monitor official weather channels and take precautions to protect property from potential saltwater damage.
