Flooding forces temporary halt to burials at Hulhumale’ Cemetery

Burials at the Hulhumale’ Cemetery were suspended on Saturday, with graves flooded with accumulated groundwater due to days of heavy rain over the Maldivian capital.

Burials in the greater Male’ area are carried out at two cemeteries – one in Hulhumale’ and one in Male’.

On Saturday, the Male’ City Council, which manages the cemeteries, said that freshly dug graves at the Hulhumale’ Cemetery were filled with water to a height of eight to nine inches.

The city council said that it has therefore decided to temporarily suspend burials at the cemetery.

ހުޅުމާލެ ސަހަރާގައި ވަޅުކޮނުމުން ކަށްވަޅުގައި 8 އިންޗި އާއި 9 އިންޗިއާއި ދެމެދު ފެން އޮތުމުގެ ސަބަބުން ހުޅުމާލެ ސަހަރާގައި މީހުން ވަޅުލުންވަނީ މެދުކަނޑާލެވިފައި. މިހެން ކަމުން މައްޔިތުން ވަޅުލުން މިހާރު ވަނީ މާލެ އާސަހަރާއަށް ބަދަލު ކުރެވިފައި. https://t.co/szj7bAO7h5

— Malé City Council (@MaleCitymv) October 24, 2026

Therefore, all burials have been switched over to the Male’ Cemetery, said the city council, referring to the Machangolhi Cemetery, better known as Aasahara.

The Maldives has been experiencing torrential rain and thunderstorms over the past few days. The bad weather, especially over northern and central parts of the country, has been attributed to the strengthening of the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as the Hulhangu Monsoon, due to low-pressure areas over the southwest Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, along with a circulation over the east-central Bay of Bengal.

The bad weather is forecasted to last through Saturday.