It was the only day that Ahmed Shaz saw a live octopus and an eel in the streets of Male'.

Ahmed Shaz, who was 16 years old at the time, estimates the water level to be around one and a half feet when he left Maafannu Madharusaa to head home after school. He did not see how rolling up his trousers could save him from getting drenched by the seawater.

He saw the octopus and eel after he left his backpack at his home Maafannu Fehigili and headed out to explore what was happening. Shaz learned that the flooding was more severe in Henveiru district where his father lived. He then headed towards that direction.

"The waves flooded up to the Bisburu area in Maafannu. I saw an octopus and an eel on Ameenee Magu where the Maafannu football ground is now. So the fish were also on the streets with the huge waves. The boats anchored in the lagoon were also on land. The army came out to help," said Shaz (Thajoobe) as he recalled the events of April 11, 1987.

Flooding caused by swell waves in 1987. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

The events of that day were not given a name then, but till now, it has been known as the Day of the Great Wave or Bodu Raalhu. Studies at the time stated that the waves that hit Male' and much of the country that day originated 6,000 kilometres south of the Indian Ocean.

On that day, the waves affected the capital Male' after destroying the stone and cement seawall on the southern side to protect the island. They were damaged in other directions as well and a part of the reclaimed area in Male' had eroded.

The United Nations Disaster Relief Organization said in an April 1987 report that 16 islands in 13 atolls were affected by the tidal waves. The Hulhule' Airport was also badly damaged. A research by Dr. John Campbell of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, said the damage was more than MVR 90 million.

The idea of ​​replacing the coral stone seawall with a stronger seawall around the capital came after the Great Wave. The government realized the vulnerability of the Maldivian islands and the importance of protecting them from climate change. The government also sought Japanese assistance to build the outer and inner seawalls around Male'.

President Maumoon's foresight and seeking Japanese assistance

While the tidal waves of 1987 hit Maldives, the last time Maldives experienced similar waves was 11 years ago in 1976. Before that, tidal waves were also reported in July 1966.

In July 1988, a year after the Great Wave, Maldives was again hit by tidal waves. In June 1991, a storm surge also caused serious damage to Male' and the rest of Maldives.

Damage from the big wave of 1987

• Waves hit 16 islands in 13 atolls
• One-third of Male' flooded
• Many houses were flooded and 300 people needed temporary shelter
• The floods caused an epidemic of diarrhoea
• The outer and inner seawalls were severely damaged
• The port, oil jetty and radio antenna were damaged
• Hulhule' was badly damaged and night flights were suspended
• Some resorts in the north and south were damaged
• The damage to the entire country is estimated at USD 6 million

Before the Great Wave, governments have always responded to disasters with short-term solutions. However, that changed in 1987 with the foresight of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

On every single trip abroad after the Great Wave, Maumoon spoke about the Maldives' environmental fragility and the consequences of climate change for small islands and low-lying countries like Maldives.

One of the forums where Maumoon raised concern was the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Vancouver, Canada in October 1987. The focus of the meeting was expected to be economic sanctions against Apartheid South Africa. However, the mood changed after President Maumoon's "Death of a Nation" speech.

"On average, our islands are only 3-6 feet above mean sea level; it will be sufficient to virtually submerge the entire country- it will be the death of a nation," he said on October 15, 1987.

After Maumoon's speech, the topic of climate change "flooded" the meeting. It became the first Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to discuss climate change.

Going one step further, Maumoon then proposed the formation of a group of relevant experts to study the impact of climate change on small islands and low-lying countries. His proposal was passed at the meeting.

A photo with the Maumoon's autograph. -- Photo: Rolf Ramseier

After his speech in Canada, Maumoon met Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Surendranath Ramphal who gave him the idea to speak four days later at the UN General Assembly in New York. It was a special public meeting to debate environmental issues.

Maumoon's speech at the debate was also well-received. This time, Maumoon proposed to the UN to form a team to look into the damage caused directly to the Maldives due to climate change. That proposal was also passed at the meeting.

"The resolution specifically calls for international assistance to all countries to compensate the people and Maldives for the damage caused by various major natural disasters and hazards. The resolution passed unanimously," Maumoon said after returning to Male'.

Before leaving for Vancouver and New York, President Maumoon launched an emergency campaign to raise funds for the damage caused by the 1987 Great Wave. He sought help from the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization, as well as an American environmental organization and a professor.

Maumoon then asked the Japanese government for help and the Japanese government responded quickly. They immediately sent a strong team of scientists to the Maldives.

Repairing the stone seawall and research by Japanese scientists

Within 14 days of the Great Wave, a team of scientists sent by the Japanese government travelled to Male'. The team arrived on April 24, 1987, to study the damage caused by the waves. The team operated in Male' for nine days.

The first task of the Japanese team was to inspect the seawall. The team recommended repairing the damaged section of the seawall on the south side of Male' as soon as possible. The Maldives government then requested the Government of Japan for assistance.

Stone seawall damages. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

The Japanese government entrusted the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with assistance in repairing the seawall. JICA is an agency of the Japanese government. On July 30, 1987, JICA sent another team to Male' to repair the seawall. The team spent 23 days in Male' for their research.

After studies, JICA began work on the plan and completed the renovation of the southern seawall in 1990. When the old seawall was repaired, the JICA team noticed its weakness. The team found that it had disrupted everyday life in Male'.

Issues and problems noticed by the JICA team

• The seawall was made of 10 and 20 cm of stone and cement
• Some parts of the seawall were eroded/damaged
• The outer ring roads are always flooded due to the waves over the seawall

Based on the findings of the research, the JICA team concluded that the old seawall should be completely replaced. Then began the construction of the seawall we see today.

Mega project to build the seawall

Japanese scientists had to conduct a major study of Male' for the project. Four main areas were studied. These include topographic and hydrographic surveys, a wave study, a tidal survey, an environmental survey and hydraulic model tests.

In addition, soil data, oceanographic data, and meteorological data were also studied before the seawall was constructed.

The seawall construction and funding was carried out under the Japanese Official Development Fund.

Japanese scientists had to conduct a lot of tests for their research. These include borehole drilling tests, deep sand and coral tests, and tests of the former stone seawall.

Study for seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

Japan considered many factors before building the seawall. These include wave height and the time it takes to complete a wave.

The seawall was built using stone, tetrapods and concrete blocks. No materials were available from Maldives so everything had to be imported. All the equipment was imported from Indonesia in barges. The water needed to make the cement was also produced using a water plant.

The construction of the seawall began in four phases. Each step was conducted according to the schedule, on the specified dates. The first was the West Coast. Then the East Coast, South Coast and the North Coast followed.

Designs for the seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

• West Coast

The design of the seawall on the west coast was carried out from 1993 to 1994. Construction of the seawall began in 1994. The work was completed in 1996 in two years.

Japanese studies showed that this is the least affected side during the tidal waves. However, studies have shown that tidal waves could affect during the southwest monsoon. With the IGMH, social centre and Thaajuddin School in the area, Japan paid the most attention to the construction of the West Coast seawall.

The area was built with two terraces for the public and tourists. A 1.5-metre walkway was also built near the seawall. One of the purposes of the terrace and walkway was to provide an opportunity to watch the sunset in a pleasant environment.

West Coast seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

• East Coast

The design of the east coast seawall began from 1995 to 1996. The seawall was designed to include an artificial beach. Construction work began in 1998. The work was completed in 2000.

The government had decided to reclaim the area even before the seawall was built. Its purpose was to use the area for sports and entertainment. After considering these factors, Japan proposed to build the eastern seawall 100 meters further from the previous one.

Japan also suggested an artificial beach on this side.

East Coast seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

• South Coast

The seawall on the south coast was designed in one year. The work began in 1997. The southern seawall was also completed in two years. Work began in 1998 and was completed in 2000.

This was the most flood-prone area. The area is hit by the big waves from the southern Indian Ocean.

One of the things Japan thought about when building the southern seawall was to facilitate docking for the small ships that travel between Male' and the islands. A quay wall was built along with an outer breakwater.

South Coast seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

• North Coast

The design work of the North Coast seawall began in 1999. The work was completed in 2000. The seawall construction was started in 2000 and completed in 2002.

The north coast seawall was built keeping in mind that it was one of the most important areas of Male'. The President's Office, other government buildings, banks, the official port and the ferry terminal to Hulhule' are located in this area.

The outer seawall of the area was also made of stone. Later, the Japanese government built it using stone and concrete blocks. No tetrapod is used in the area and the outer seawall was installed with lights.

North Coast seawall. -- Photo: JICA/ Japan

The seawall mitigated the impact of the tsunami

The tsunami that hit Maldives 20 years ago affected Male', but the seawall protected the island. The tsunami hit just two years after the entire seawall was completed.

The tsunami waves were 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) high in Male'.

Sea levels rise to varying degrees throughout the year, but before the tsunami, sea levels were at normal levels. Because of this, the tsunami waves were below the seawall. The seawall was about 60 cm higher than the waves.

But with the wave, about three to five feet high tidal waves flooded Male' from the east. Some waves rose over the seawall. There were no dangerous incidents despite the flooding.

Without the Japanese seawall, the tsunami would have been felt even more strongly in Male'. So it became an important safety measure.

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The seawall we see around Male' today is the largest infrastructure project on the island to date. The idea for the project came after the 1987 Great Wave. The seawall was built with the foresight of President Maumoon and the assistance of the Japanese government.

This article was first produced in Dhivehi by Adhadhu's Hassan Mohamed.