Arson suspected as fires destroy wetlands in Fuvahmulah
Two fires have destroyed a wetland area equal to 35 football pitches on the southern island of Fuvahmulah. Islanders said they suspect the fires were started deliberately.
14 Feb 2017, 9:00 AM
Two fires have destroyed a wetland area equal to 35 football pitches on the southern island of Fuvahmulah. Islanders said they suspect the fires were started deliberately.
The Maldives National Defence Forces said some 250,000 square meters of reed beds were destroyed. Some mango trees and banana trees were also damaged in Friday’s fire.
The area is not used for agriculture, the Fuvahmulah councillors said. They said the fires are an annual occurrence when reed beds dry out in the heat, and added that the damage was the same as other years.
Fuvahmulah has the largest wetlands of any island in the islands. They cover more than a quarter of the island.
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