Met Office Forecasts Severe Weather Through Saturday

MV+ News Desk | October 22, 2026
MNDF personnel operating water pumps in Male’ to clear street flooding following heavy downpours. | Photo: MNDF

Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to persist across the northern and central atolls through Saturday, driven by a strengthened southwest monsoon system, the Maldives Meteorological Service warned.

According to the Met Office, low-pressure systems over the southwest Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, combined with an active circulation over the east-central Bay of Bengal, have intensified convective weather moving across the country. Scattered rainfall with isolated heavy showers is forecast nationwide over the next 24 hours, alongside sustained gusty conditions across central and northern regions through Saturday.

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As torrential downpours triggered severe street flooding across the capital, emergency response operations were launched across multiple key areas last night. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that water pumps were deployed across 10 locations in Malé to clear floodwaters, operating in a joint effort alongside the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Fire and Rescue Service, Maldives Police Service, Maldivian Red Crescent, Male’ City Council, Maldives Transport and Contracting Company, and Housing Development Corporation.

NDMA further stated that up to 11:00 PM last night, it had received requests for assistance and sandbag placement from dozens of impacted locations, including 33 residential homes, 35 shops, six cafes and restaurants, five government and private buildings, four schools, two clinics, two warehouses, an office building, and a construction site. Additionally, one home reported sewage leakage due to the flooding.

To mitigate property damage, NDMA provided 10,000 sandbag sacks to the Male’ City Council and confirmed that joint response teams had successfully assisted at least 31 locations, with ongoing efforts to reach all remaining affected properties across the capital.

In light of the worsening weather, MNDF issued a strict advisory urging seafarers and maritime operators to take precautionary measures. They stated that travellers are advised to inform relevant authorities prior to departure and verify that all essential safety equipment, including life jackets, communication systems, and dewatering pumps, is fully functional. Cargo vessel operators have been instructed not to overload vessels and to secure all goods properly.

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