UK tourist dies in Maldives

2004-12-26 12:17

Male - A British tourist died when this Indian Ocean paradise of the Maldives was hit by unprecedented tidal waves that flooded two thirds of the capital island and shut the airport, officials said.

The unidentified British tourist died of a heart attack as the tidal waves hit his resort, an official said, adding 50 "water cabanas" built on stilts had been washed away, a local official said.

The Maldivian government in a statement said there were several casualties, but gave no details.

The situation of tens of thousands of other tourists in the Maldives was not immediately known.

Two thirds of the capital island, Male, was under about 1.2m of water in some areas. About a third of the country's 330 000 population live in the highly congested capital island.

"From about 09:00, the capital, Male, and other parts of the country have been flooded by the tsunami caused by the earthquakes in the eastern Indian ocean," the government statement said.

Sri Lanka's international airport said they were told by the authorities in the Maldives that tidal waves had flooded the Hululle airport island and the runway was closed indefinitely, cutting off air transport to the Maldives.

Maldives is a cluster of 1 192 tiny coral islands scattered about 800km across the equator and is vulnerable to any rise in sea levels.

Inner breakwater collapsed

Parts of the inner breakwater in Male collapsed in front of the President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's Office. A Coast Guard speedboat landed right in front of the President's Office.

A man who was opposite the commercial harbour area said he saw the sea suddenly swell and even before he could run towards the centre of the island he saw boats coming towards him.

"Suddenly, there was water up to my neck," he said. "I saw a woman and a child nearby, but I don't know what happened to them."

The meteorological department here warned residents not to travel by boat in the next 12 hours, fearing another tidal wave. "This is the first time Maldives has recorded such an onslaught from freak waves," the national meteorological department said in a statement.

Maldives began building a sea wall to protect the capital after tidal waves in 1987.

Since then, Gayoom, 66, has led a battle against the seas, campaigning against the greenhouse affect which many environmentalists say is raising sea levels.

He was nearly swept into the Indian Ocean in 1987 while in a vehicle inspecting damage caused by the tidal waves.

"It was a moment of fear, not for my own safety, but for the safety of the people of Maldives," Gayoom wrote later.

- AFP