The weather in the Maldives is expected to improve gradually over the next 48 hours, although light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely to persist in isolated parts of north and central Maldives.

Despite slight rain in the southern islands, the Maldives is generally set for a weather improvement. However, wave heights are forecasted to reach between 4-6 feet on January 4, with the seas remaining rough, especially within the cloud cover. Thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty winds of up to 40 miles per hour, are expected to affect areas such as Lhaviyani Atoll, which has been placed on white alert.

In the past 24 hours, the Male’ region has experienced its heaviest rainfall in recent years. Hulhumale’ recorded 144 mm, Male’ saw 142.6 mm, and Hulhumale’ registered 122 mm, marking significant downpours.

The Met Office has warned of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall until January 6, with conditions expected to improve thereafter.

Although initial forecasts predicted an improvement in weather by January 5, the Met office has revised its outlook, indicating that light to moderate rain will persist until January 6.

In response to the heavy rains, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) reported pumping out a record 30,569 tonnes of water from the streets of Male’ City yesterday. This amount of rainfall has not been seen in recent years, and the government has launched relief efforts to assist those affected.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that 226 people have been provided with temporary shelter and food assistance as flooding and the ongoing weather disruption continue to impact the population.