Disclaimer
This report was compiled by an ADRC visiting researcher (VR) from ADRC
member countries.
The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe ADRC. The boundaries and names shown and the designations usedon the maps in the report also do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the ADRC.

 General Information
 Geographyg p y Climate and Weather
 Demography
 Economy
 Governance Risk Profile Disaster History
 Disaster Management
gSystemy Challenges in DM and Way Forward3Picture Source: MHDR , 2014

 Official name: Republic of Maldives Capital:pMale’ Division: 1192 islands into 26 naturalatolls
 Inhabited islands: 188,
 Land area: 298 square kilometers
 Exclusive economic zone: 200 nauticalmiles
 Largest Island: 6 square kilometers
 Highest elevation: 2.4 meters
 Terrain: Flat, coastal vegetation andwhite sandy beaches.

National Capitalp

 Warm and humid tropical climate
 Two seasons; dry season (from December to April,Aprilnorthwest monsoon) and rainy season (from Mayto November
November, southwest monsoon)
 Yearly temperatures: 24oC to 34oC

11

 Total Population:
p344,023 (Census,2014) Currency:y Rufiyaay (1 USD = 15.42 MVR) GDP: 3.06 billion USD
 GDP per capita: USD 7,375 (2014)
 Main export: Tuna (frozen, canned, dried, salted)
 Main industries:
dTourism, fishing,f hagriculturel Heavily dependant on imports Unitary republic HeadH d off State
St t : President
P id t Unicameral legislature:gAt present
p855 members
 Independence: July 26, 1965 (from the British) Decentralized local government: Local government

authority,
th it city
it councils
il andd iislandl d councils.
il Administrative divisions: 2 cities,, 20 atolls and 188

islands.

 Maldives is one of the most vulnerable

countries in the world.
 The most flat and the lowest elevated nation

with average height of 1.5 meters.
 Maldives faces multimulti-hazard risks and threats

from the global warming and climate change
induced sea level rise and extreme weather
events.

19

 Indian

Ocean Tsunami 2004 was an eye
eye-opener andd it
i was theh firstfi ever disasterdioff
cataclysmic magnitude to hit the Islandcountry..
country Generally
Generally,, urban or rural, all the islands arecoastal communities
communities..
All the humansettlements,
industries
andcriticali finfrastructure
are locatedld near theh shoreline.
shoreline
h li .

 The country’s geographic location, physical

and
d geo
geo--climaticli
i featuresfoff its
i islands
i l d near
the equator in the Indian Ocean exposes thecountry to different natural hazards fromearthquakes (particularly the Southern
region),tropical
cyclones,storms,thunderstorms heavy rainfall,
thunderstorms,
rainfall dry spell,spellfloods induced by heavy rainfall to storm
surges, swellll waves andd tsunami
tsunami.i.

Natural Hazards

Man-made Hazards• Tsunami• Floods• Tropical Stormsy• Cyclones• Sea surge
g / Water• Drought
shortage• Sea level rise
• Earthquake• Fire• Airport
Emergencies• Maritime Accidents• Public Health
Emergencies• Oil Spill andEnvironmental
Incidents
2324

25

2728

29

32

33

Source: DIRAM

Source: DIRAM

Event/Year

Islands affected

People affected

DamageAddu City
Flood Crisis((24-25 Nov2015)
Male Water
Crisis (4 Dec2014)
Cyclone Nilam(Oct Nov 2012)(Oct-Nov03 Islands (Feydhoo,Maradhoofeydhoo andMaradhoo))297 Households got
severely flooded

US$ 0.3 million

Male City

159000 persons and22000 households

US$ 20 million

Caused flooding in 51
islands 28 islands
islands,
severe flooding, 4islands critical
68 IIslands
l d iin 16 At
Atollsll
600 m inundation
inland53 were severely
damaged33,826

133,090.60 USD

1649 E
Evacuated
t d579 Housing units
damagedNearly 12,000
displaced.

-Surge WSWaves(15- 17 May2007)
Indian OceanTsunami (Dec2004)

470 million USD

37

y 82 Died and 26 missingy More than 15000 Internally Displace Persons (IDPs)
y 3,997
3 997 building
b ildi damageddd
y 62% of GDP (US$ 470 million)

44

45

Swell Waves - 2007
The unusual waves were originated from the extra-tropicalsystem in the southern hemisphere, approximately 5630km
southwest of Addu Atoll These waves flooded the some in the central and southern
Maldives After 2004 tsunami freshwaterlens got contaminated andsaline.
 During dry seasons, islands runout of fresh water.
 Government provides freshwater
to many islands.

 TheDisasterManagementAct

28/2015,

which was published in the government
ga ette on 6 Septembergazette
Septembe 2015,
2015 stipulates
stip lates thebasic tenets and p
principles
that ggovern thepdisaster management in the Maldives.

 A presidential decree established the National

Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) soonafter the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
 Initially,
Initially its mandate was to coordinate therecovery process for the tsunami response
effortand relief effort.
 However,asthings
progressed,thegovernment handed the mandate of disaster
preparedness and risk reduction as well to theNDMC.

 NDMA serves as the national authority to leaddisaster management and disaster risk reduction inthe country.
 National p
platform to coordinate multi-sectorial
disaster management activities
 Implementation of international standards such theHFA (2005-2015) and moving forward with SFA (20152030).
2030)
 Is under the Ministry of Defense and National Security.
 Maldives commemorates 26 December every year as
the “National Unity Day”.

Strategic Operations

Tactical Operations
DisasterManagementCouncilNational
EmergencyOperations
Centre (within
NDMA)

DM Steering
Committee

DisasterManagement
Units (based atAtoll, City andIsland levels)

Field Operations

Local Emergency
Response ForceNational Emergency
Response Force National Disaster Management Plan National Emergency Operational Plan Nationalat o a Multi-hazard
u t a a d Earlya y Warning
ag SOPSO
 National Framework for IDPs
 Guide Book and Manual for CBDRM
 National Relief Guideline
 Disaster Management Plan for Tourism Sector
 School emergency Operations Plan

National Defense Force responds to all large scale and national
54
emergencies

55

Large number of islands with small communities
Distance between the islands
High cost of transportation and logisticaldiffi lti
difficulties
Difficulty in retaining volunteersDifficulty in creating public awareness• LackL k off hhuman resources andd technicalh i l knowledgekl dboth at national and local levels• Risk assessments not a mandatory for development
planning• Lack of DRR knowledge among law and policy
makersk results
lt ini isolationi l ti off DRR andd CCA activities
ti iti• Lack of financial resources to fund and implement
DM related activities both at national and local level.

• City/Atoll/Island DM UnitsgPlans• CBDRM Plans – Island Disaster Management• National Emergency Operations Plan• Nationalil Relief
li f Guideline
G id li• National Framework for Managing IDPs
• National Early Warning SOP• Integration and mainstreaming of DRR and CCA adaptationand into the resilient island development planning• Disaster Resilient Resort Program