MET downgrades orange alert to yellow for central Maldives

The Maldives Meteorological Center (MET Office) has downgraded the orange alert issued to central Maldives atolls to a yellow alert.

The orange alert was effective from 14:15hrs to 18:15hrs on Tuesday afternoon, but from Haa Alifu to Laamu atolls, MET changed the alert to yellow, effective from 17:00 hrs. to 21:00hrs.

MET forecasts heavy rain and strong winds of 25 to 30 miles per hour and gusts of 50 miles per hour, accompanied by “very rough” seas for the region during the yellow alert’s effective duration.

The weather forecast authority has issued a yellow alert from Gaafu Alifu to Addu atolls, with heavy rain and rough seas expected for this region as well.

Maldives capital Male’ City is experiencing torrential rainfall, with flood waters entering multiple residences.

On Monday, Al Jazeera forecast that Maldives will experience month’s worth of rainfall in the next three days. MET Office later said, Alifu atoll Kelaa experienced 231.5 millimeters of rain on Monday alone, which is a record amount, the authority added.

Several parts of the Maldives is expected to experience heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, rough seas and large sea swells during high-tide hours for the next five days, MET added.

MET Office earlier said that Maldives is currently experiencing southwest monsoon weather that began in May.