RAIN EASES DRY SPELL
Heavy rains cause flash floods in Klang Valley and relief in Sabah, Terengganu
AFTER weeks of prolonged hot and dry weather, rain finally brought relief to residents of the Klang Valley, Terengganu and Sabah yesterday.
The hour-long downpour, however, caused flash floods in some parts of the city here.
In Kampung Datuk Keramat, firemen had to rescue a 15-yearold disabled person and a 4month-old baby trapped in floodwaters.
The Fire and Rescue Department said several cars were stranded in the flood.
Keramat Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Suhaimi Abdul Shukor said floodwaters in Kampung Datuk Keramat were 3m deep.
The rain also led to several felled trees in the city’s main arteries, such as Jalan Ampang and Jalan Genting Klang.
In Kuala Terengganu, morning rain brought respite to the otherwise hot weather with continuous light drizzle until afternoon as dark clouds from the South China Sea moved inland.
Six districts — Besut, Setiu, Hulu Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus and Marang — received much-awaited rainfall, with Besut and Setiu experiencing more than a half hour of rain.
Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, 65, of Kampung Pelong in Setiu, said the rain was a godsend as the dry spell had affected many people, especially farmers.
“The prolonged dry spell is starting to worry farmers in the village. Setiu experienced 31 days without rain and is the second hottest district after Gerik in Perak, which had been without rain for 56 days.”
Despite the hot spell, the water level in Tasik Kenyir remained almost unchanged, measuring at 140.48m on Sunday compared with the reading three weeks ago at 140.99m.
The lake’s lowest level is 136m but it had not dropped to that level since it opened in 1986.
Syarikat Air Terengganu chief executive officer Atemin Sulong said household water consumption in the state had increased from 1,200 litres a day to 1,500 litres a day during the dry spell.
He said the situation in the state was under control, although the increase in consumption had caused low water pressure in some areas.
“The increase in consumption was also attributed to farmers who needed to irrigate their fields and nurseries that required watering of their plants,” he added.
In Kota Kinabalu, Sabahans can look forward to more rainfall as the monsoon transition has begun.
State Meteorological Department director Ambun Dindang said the transition, which began on March 19, would bring more rain in the state.
“Many places in Sabah have received rainfall between March 20 and 23,” he said, adding that its meteorological station in Tawau showed that scattered rainfall was recorded in the district.
Ambun said the state, however, was experiencing the dry season due to a lack of rainfall.
The Sabah Infrastructure Development Ministry had, on Sunday, said six dams were at critical level. The dams, in Tawau and Semporna, had insufficient water to meet supply.
Its minister, Datuk Peter Anthony, gave his assurance that water tankers would be deployed if the situation persists, and cloud seeding would be considered.
It was reported that in Kota Belud, more than 1,000ha of padi fields had been affected by the month-long dry spell.