whole night in a fishing boat

Fathimath, in her 60s, is one of the woman from Dhiffushi island who was moved to the relief camp in Majeediyya School, Male'. Sitting on a table in a corridor in front of a classroom, on December 28, Fathimath recalled the events after the tsunami struck. The people were instructed to board the fishing boats. They had stayed in the boats and briefly returned to the island only to go back to the boats. They spent the whole night in boats before they were instructed to go to Male'. The authorities had issued a warning that swells may cause flooding during high tide in the afternoon and past midnight. People did not want to stay in the island and face the destruction again. Fathimath said that she had no immediate desire to go back to the island, knowing that it was in no state to live. written by: niOS, Photos: Eagan, Thoha