A fire that broke out today at the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development building has been successfully brought under control by emergency services. A large-scale evacuation operation was carried out, resulting in the safe relocation of residents from surrounding buildings.
The Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) coordinated the evacuation, setting up an emergency shelter at the Social Centre for those displaced. The NDMA also established a helpline at 115 for individuals requiring assistance.
Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon spoke to the media at the scene, stating that all available military resources were deployed to fight the fire, with the primary focus on evacuating people from nearby buildings to safety. He mentioned that the fire had spread significantly by the time the evacuation was completed.
The fire also affected buildings housing the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology.
Efforts are underway to recover documents and property from the City Council’s Land and Building section and Vital Registration offices located in the affected building.
The Housing Ministry reassured the public that records related to the Gedhoruveriya housing scheme are secure, as they are stored digitally in the ministry’s cloud system.
No injuries have been reported, and the NDMA continues to advise affected residents to either contact the emergency helpline or go to the Social Centre for assistance.
