The wife and daughters of former Maldives' president Mohamed Nasheed have fled to Colombo as violence worsens, a presidential spokesman in Sri Lanka and a family member told AFP Thursday.

"His wife and two children arrived and spoke to the president over the phone last evening," a spokesman for Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, Bandula Jayasekera, told AFP.

"President Rajapakse was concerned over the safety of Mr Nasheed and his family."

A family member in Male, who asked not to be named, confirmed the news, saying: "They are in Sri Lanka... It's much safer than here."