KOTA KINABALU: A cloud seeding operation is seeing a 67% success rate with some rainfall reported at three targeted areas over the last two days in Sabah, based on a report provided by the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
Based on the report on the three-day cloud seeding operations from March 28-30, Lahad Datu received 26mm of rainfall on the first day and no rainfall on the second day.
Tawau saw 27mm of rainfall on Thursday (March 28) and 2mm on Friday (March 29) while rainfall of 4mm was recorded for drought-hit Papar on Friday with no rainfall following the first day of the cloud seeding on Thursday.
According to the report provided by the Sabah Meteorological Department, the cloud seeding operations were conducted from 11.15pm to 12.45pm on March 28 and 11.05am to 1.05pm on March 29.
A third cloud seeding operation is scheduled for Saturday (March 30).
The cloud seeding operations are being carried out by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) in Papar, Lahad Datu and Tawau beginning Friday.
On Thursday, Nadma director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said the operation was implemented to obtain sufficient water resources in the rain catchments due to the hot weather.
Earlier this month, Papar district declared a drought emergency while the state government deployed emergency water supplies to 58,080 households in 355 villages in 12 districts.
Sabah has been hit with a dry and hot spell since February and is also faced with numerous fires ranging from jungle/forest fires to brush fires.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the state hoped the cloud seeding operations would increase the water capacity at catchments.
