Disaster reports in Maldives rise 37 percent, mostly floods

Disaster reports in the Maldives rose by 37% last year, driven largely by flooding incidents, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said today.

According to NDMA’s Disaster Statistics Report, 251 incidents were recorded across 20 atolls in 2024, up from 183 in 2023 and 144 in 2022.

The authority said the increase reflects both the growing impact of climate change and improvements in disaster reporting systems, as well as greater public awareness. It said the findings underline the need to accelerate efforts to reduce disaster-related damage and to strengthen preparedness nationwide.

State spending on disaster relief has also risen steadily. Last year, MVR 10 million was disbursed to affected communities, compared with MVR 6 million in 2023 and MVR 3 million in 2022.

Flooding accounted for the largest share of financial assistance.

Breakdown of incidents in 2024:

A total of 1,423 houses were damaged by flooding last year. The highest number of flood reports came from Male' Atoll, Laamu Atoll and Addu City, with most incidents occurring in May and August.