Environment
Police to investigate illegal shark finning at Kulhudhuffushi
The investigation was launched after images of dried shark fins kept to be smoked in the sun surfaced on the social media
10 Sep 2016, 09:00
Airport project on protected island alarms environmentalists
Environmental groups say construction of an airport on the “unique and rare” island of Dhigulaabadhoo in southern Gaaf Dhaal Atoll would lead to biodiversity loss.
31 Jul 2016, 09:00
Can Maldives reefs recover from El Nino?
Environmentalists say Maldives reefs may not bounce back from this year’s El Nino as fast as the government expects because of human stressors, such as dredging and land reclamation.
31 May 2016, 09:00
Bridge pipes ‘stored’ on Gulhifalhu reef
Some 18 massive steel pipes imported for the ongoing construction of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge are being kept on top of a coral reef near Malé.
30 May 2016, 09:00
Tidal surges wreak havoc at Malé’s new artificial beach
Storm surges caused extensive damage at the newly built artificial beach in Malé, Rasfannu, on Tuesday, uprooting lampposts, toppling chairs and bins, and displacing large swathes of sand inland.
19 May 2016, 09:00
Storms cause severe flooding across Maldives
Some 15 islands have reported damages from flooding to households and farms. Strong winds also uprooted trees and ripped off roofs in some islands.
19 May 2016, 09:00
Torrential rain and tidal waves forecast for central Maldives
The Met Department has issued a severe weather warning for central Maldives, forecasting torrential rain, severe thunderstorms and swell waves for the stretch of atolls between Lhaviyani and Meemu Atolls for the next seven days.
09 May 2016, 09:00
Maldives signs historic climate change agreement
The Maldives signed the historic Paris climate change agreement on Friday, urging big polluters to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
25 Apr 2016, 09:00
Crew of sinking cargo boat rescued at sea
The coastguard rescued four crew members Friday afternoon from a cargo boat that sank en route from Malé to the southern island of Feeali in Faafu atoll.
23 Apr 2016, 09:00
Eco-label suspended for Maldives yellowfin tuna
The suspension of the Marine Stewardship Council’s eco-label was based on by an assessment of yellowfin tuna stocks by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s scientific committee, which “showed significant declines as a result of overfishing and relatively low reproduction levels.”
18 Apr 2016, 09:00
Airport bridge will not cause lasting damage to Malé’s surf point, says minister
The construction of a bridge between Malé and Hulhulé poses no threat to the city’s surf point at Varunulaa Raalhugandu, Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muizz said today, assuring surfers that they would be able to surf there once the project is completed in 2018.
12 Apr 2016, 09:00
Heavy rainfall causes flooding at airport
Heavy rainfall over the weekend caused flooding at the Maldives’ main airport and sewer overflows in the capital Malé.
10 Apr 2016, 09:00
45 islands out of water amidst record heat
Some 45 islands have reported a water shortage amidst record breaking warm weather. The meteorology department said the Maldives is experiencing its hottest dry season in 18 years.
28 Mar 2016, 09:00
New artificial beach closed to swimmers after sewage pipe bursts
The recently opened ‘Rasfannu’ artificial beach in Malé’s west coast has been closed to swimmers after an underwater sewage pipe in the area burst open.
21 Mar 2016, 09:00
More than 20 islands already facing water shortages
More than 20 islands across the Maldives are already facing water shortages, according to the National Disaster Management Centre.
14 Mar 2016, 09:00
Europe bank offers Maldives €45 million loan for sustainable energy project
The government has obtained a €45 million loan from the European Investment Bank to finance renewable energy projects and upgrade electricity networks in the atolls.
09 Mar 2016, 09:00
New artificial beach is a ‘health hazard,’ says youth group
The Dhi Youth Movement has warned that sewage outflow and medical waste from the nearby Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital disposed near the new west coast artificial beach pose serious dangers to swimmers. A snorkelling team from its cleanup project Damage Control had found an increase in sedimentation and dead corals as well as tubes and medical waste.
24 Jan 2016, 09:00
Regulations introduced for connecting renewable energy to power grids
The new net metering regulation will allow residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to feed electricity they do not use back into the grid. The solar panel owner will be credited for the electricity added to the grid and billed for “net” energy use.
30 Dec 2015, 09:00
Two northern islands hit by tidal swells
Ali Shaheem, vice president of the Komandoo island council, told The Maldives Independent that the swells have been continuing since 2:00am. One house was inundated by one and a half feet of water, he said, causing a power outage and forcing a family with three young children to temporarily move to another residence.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
UNDP launches app to report illegal waste dumping
Users from the capital and its suburbs Hulhumalé and Vilimalé can download the ‘MakeMyIsland’ app for free, take a picture, and report littering and unattended waste in public spaces to the concerned authorities, which will attend to the problem and send a notification through email.
21 Dec 2015, 09:00
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