Coastguard urges caution after 20ft plastic sheets from Gulhifalhu cast adrift amid windstorm

A powerful windstorm hit K. Gulhifalhu on Saturday, casting adrift a large quantity of plastic sheets used for the port project.

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has issued a statement asking caution from seafarers in the area.

The plastic sheets cast adrift in the windstorm measure 20 feet in length.

Maldives Meteorological Service has issued yellow alert for islands from H. A. Atoll to Th. Atoll over strong winds and rough seas.

The yellow alert is effective from 05:30 pm to 08:30 pm, and Maldives Meteorological Service forecasts average strong winds of 25 to 30 miles per hours with gusts of 55 miles per hours for the area, accompanied by rough seas.

A separate yellow alert has been issued for islands from L. Atoll to Addu City over torrential rain and thunderstorms with gusts of 45 miles per hour. The yellow alert is effective from 07:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

The unusually strong winds affecting the country this Saturday has uprooted trees and blows away roofs of several buildings. It also left 10 people stranded on an uninhabited island in H. Dh. Atoll, who are being assisted by the Coastguard.