Maldives Meteorological Service Extends White Alert For The Second Time

Yesterday, Maldives Meteorological Service issued White Alert across atolls Lhaviyani through Dhaalu due to worsening weather conditions. The statement issued by the Met Office cautioned against strong winds and rough seas during the time period and has since extended the white alert till 1800 hours of today, 9^th January 2023.

Issued for the majority of the central atolls, the Met Office forecasted strong gusts during storms, with winds picking up to 19 to 24 miles per hour at times. Accompanying the violent winds is equally rough seas in the stated window of time. Seafarers are particularly advised to keep updated on the weather conditions prior to travelling and to ensure that all safety requirements are met aboard vessels.

White Alert is a level 1 alert informing the general public on harsh weather conditions. A white alert is issued for heavy rains and flooding that records 50mm in 1hr or 80mm in 6 hrs and for winds and seas reporting 19-24 mph in the past 3 hours.