Kurendhoo suffers flood disaster; 66 houses damaged
Kurendhoo is easily flooded as the island is formed with a large swamp-like lake in the middle.
By
Aminath Shifleen
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) revealed on Monday that 84% of the houses in Lh. Kurendhoo had gone 'under water' during last week's rain and 66 houses were reported damaged in the island.
On Tuesday night last week, it rained continuously for several hours. The rain, which began in the afternoon, intensified around midnight and continued until morning.
Heavy rains started flooding houses, and some households were without electricity until sunrise. The island council said many houses were flooded to a height of a foot.
"We describe this as just a major disaster," NDMA CEO Hisan Hassan said on Monday.
According to him:
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This type of rainfall usually causes damage to Kurendhoo
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This time it was a much bigger loss than before
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Furniture and fixtures of many houses were destroyed
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Electrical appliances were also in disrepair
Kurendhoo is easily flooded as the island is formed with a large swamp-like lake. The island is elevated around the lake and the eastern side is low towards the sea. When heavy rains fall, the houses in the area are flooded.
Hisan said two water pumps were sent to the island last month as the western monsoon rains started. However, he described the island as suffering a huge loss even with the equipment.
“These damages cannot be prevented unless a permanent solution is found,” he said.
The problem of flooding in Kurendhoo could have been solved by building roads. It is a promise that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has made if he gets another term.
The rains that hit Maldives this month, also caused damage to other islands. The next biggest damage was reported in A.A. Ukulhas.
According to the NDMA:
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15 houses in Ukulhas were damaged
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A house in Feridhoo and two houses in Addu-Feydhoo were reported damaged
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Many appliances, furniture and electrical appliances were destroyed
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In some lower-lying islands, the soil was pulled away and the buildings were damaged
The NDMA said it was assessing the damage to all these houses and was in the process of providing relief. However, it is yet to ascertain how much compensation is being paid.
