PETALING JAYA: Only the Malut Dam in Kedah is deemed to be at the ‘danger’ level (26.3%) following a drop in raw water storage, says the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
It added six other dams also showed ‘warning’ levels of water supply. They are Air Hitam dam (31.5%) and Teluk Bahang dam (58.3%) in Penang; Sembrong Barat dam (33.5%) in Johor; BS Padang Saga dam (34.83%) and Muda dam (36.48%) in Kedah; and Timah Tasoh dam (49.44%) in Perlis.
For reference, storage balance at 29.99% and below is designated as ‘danger’ level and 30% to 59.99% is at ‘warning’ level. The ‘normal’ level is 60% and above.
The agency reported that one death has been reported this week, bringing the death toll due to heat stroke to three cases.
The latest death involved a Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) member, who passed away in Seremban on Monday.
Previously, two deaths due to heat stroke were recorded. The first involved a 22-year-old man in Pahang on Feb 2 and a three-year-old boy in Kelantan on April 1.
There is one case of heat stroke that is still being treated in the normal ward while other patients have received treatment and recovered.
On cumulative heat-related illnesses cases, as of April 23, there have been 51 cases recorded. Thirteen cases involved heat strokes, 37 cases of exhaustion and one case of heat convulsion.
It said nine cases related to the hot weather were recorded in Kedah, followed by Perak (eight), Pahang and Johor (seven each), Selangor (six), Negri Sembilan and Sabah (five each), Perlis (two), and one case each for Penang and Kelantan.
“The breakdown of cases according to age included 38 adults, 11 teenagers, one elderly person and one child,” the agency said in a statement.
Nadma also said that as of Monday, the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) has issued a drought forecast for the Sungai Kelantan river basin.
Based on the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) weather forecast until May 29, the agency said the transitional monsoon phase, which began on March 29, will continue until May.
“The beginning of this phase marks the end of the northeast monsoon 2023/24 period which began on Nov 11 last year.
“Peninsular Malaysia generally tends to receive weak winds from various directions throughout the forecast period.
“For Sabah and Sarawak, the influence of easterly winds dominates throughout the forecast period except for the western and central parts of Sarawak, where there are winds from the south-southeast direction at the beginning of the forecast period affecting the weather patterns,” Nadma said in its overall hot weather status report.
This situation, it added, is conducive for the formation of thunderstorm clouds in the evening until late at night and potentially lasting until early morning.
Easterly winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean are expected to bring some moisture to the eastern and interior of Sabah and the northern part of Sarawak, it also said.
