PUTRAJAYA: The government will carry out cloud seeding operations in catchment areas where water levels are expected to drop due to the hot weather.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the operations would be carried out in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), focusing on seven dam areas.
They are Sungai Muda, Sungai Kedah, Sungai Melaka, Sungai Kelantan, Sungai Klang, Sungai Bernam and Sungai Similajau.
Zahid said the National Water Services Commission (Span) would be responsible for the distribution of drinking water for domestic consumers with the cooperation of water concessionaires and local governments.
He said the committee had identified 406 locations that are prone to open peatland fire, with 616 operations had so far been conducted on farms, forest, plantations and dumping grounds.
"We also have 101 tube wells located at peat areas as additional water sources in fire extinguishing operations.
"Monitoring is being done by the Department of Environment and the Fire and Rescue Department at 47 lookout towers that will be equipped with CCTVs (closed-circuit TV cameras)," he said after chairing the Central Disaster Management Committee Meeting today.
Zahid said uncontrolled open burning could also contribute to haze, adding that the government would continue to coordinate with neighbouring countries to address cross-border haze.
Several states in the peninsula, Sarawak as well as western parts of Sabah, are expected to receive less than average levels of rainfall between August and September due to the current hot weather.
Other affected states are Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan Melaka as well as federal territories Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
MetMalaysia had said the situation was due the current southwest monsoon season which brought heat and caused an increase in temperatures.