9 hours without power at Hulhumale social housing flats
Eight towers of the Hiyaa towers and several towers of Vinares were without electricity from around 3 pm Monday.
Eight towers of the Hiyaa towers and several towers of Vinares were without electricity from around 3 pm Sunday. According to STELCO, the outage occurred after a main cable was damaged during excavation work. While repairs were under way, further technical issues were identified, extending the disruption to nine hours.
In a post published Monday, Fatimath Zahiyya, councillor elect for the Hulhumale’ North constituency of the Male’ Council, described the situation faced by residents from the time of the outage.
She stated that Hulhumale’ Phase 2, where a large number of people reside, lacks the provision of basic services under an effective policy framework.
Zahiyya visited the area to assess conditions and provide assistance. According to her account, from 3 pm:
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Children were crying
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Children and others were trapped in lifts
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Students in school uniform were resting on couches
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Elderly residents and others lacked access to toilets
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Individuals dependent on oxygen were carried down from upper floors of 24-storey buildings and taken to hospital due to supply disruption
In her statement addressed to President Mohamed Muizzu, Zahiyya said Hulhumale’ Phase 2, which accommodates a large concentration of residents in Maldives, requires the provision of basic services through a stronger system.
Videos shared on social media showed residents gathered outside on benches and in parks due to the lack of electricity in the towers. These included children and elderly individuals.
Power interruptions have occurred in the area on previous occasions due to cable damage during excavation. Each tower exceeds 20 floors, and residents face disruption during such incidents.
