Maldives

COUNTRY INFORMATION

Region: South Asia

Population: 543,620

Capital: Malé

GDP (Million US$): 4,889

Disaster Risk Profile: Prone to small-scale, recurrent hazards such as increased rainfall, cyclonic winds, storm surges, saltwater intrusion and coastal floods.

Inform Risk Rating: 2.4

Institutional DRR Setup

National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC)

Under the Ministry of Defence and National Security, the NDMC is the primary agency for disaster risk reduction and preparedness, as well as response and recovery. The center is the coordinating body for disaster management in charge of legal and administrative governance, as well as conducting programs to raise public awareness. There is a multi-sectorial technical working group that provides technical input to projects being implemented and supports in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development.

Progress under each Sendai Priority

To better understand the impact of disasters, as highlighted under Priority 1, the Maldives established environmental impact assessments (EIA) to assess island development relative to its vulnerability to environmental changes. Guided by the Disaster Management Act (2015), the Maldives' efforts to strengthen disaster risk governance are centered around implementing the CBDRR Framework to ensure considerations are integrated into local development, assessments and planning while areas for capacity building are addressed.

In terms of investing in disaster risk reduction, emphasis remains on strengthening community resilience through capacity building, disaster education and regional assessments - with the education sector, water security and risk transfer identified as key priority areas for investment. To enhance disaster preparedness for effective response, under Priority 4, focus has been placed on establishing a comprehensive early warning system. In terms of disaster response, investments have been placed on established an Emergency Operations Center while capacity and resource assessments are being conducted across each island to strengthen emergency response.

NDMO Contact Information

National Disaster Management Authority

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