Funadhoo fire evacuees still in temporary housing; NDMA says duration will be decided after structural assessments

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Sh. Funadhoo Island Council have stated that the people evacuated to temporary shelters after last week’s fire remain housed there.

On Tuesday last week, a fire broke out at a petrol shed in Funadhoo, affecting four houses and five workshops. The fire began around 07:00 am and was extinguished at 12:00 pm.

Eleven people were evacuated to temporary shelter after one of the houses in the area was severely affected. The initial period of temporary shelter was set for five days, and Sunday marks one week since the incident. Funadhoo Council President Mohamed Adil said the affected family is still living in temporary accommodation.

The NDMA also confirmed to Sun that the evacuees remain in temporary shelters. The duration of temporary housing will be determined once the authority receives the damage assessment of the affected homes. NDMA said its team is currently conducting the assessment.

Twenty people were treated for various injuries in the incident. Police spokesperson Ahmed Shiyam said the injured included a firefighter and an employee of Funadhoo Hospital, while the rest were hurt while seeking safety during explosions or required treatment due to anxiety.

A special police team was deployed to the island to investigate the incident. However, police have not yet released details regarding the investigation.