KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Persistent high temperatures and low water levels at dams in parts of Malaysia have prompted authorities to carry out cloud seeding to address the situation, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The area around the Bukit Merah Dam in Perak state is the focus of the latest cloud seeding efforts, as the water in the dam has reached critical levels, Ahmad Zahid said at a recent press briefing.
"I, along with the National Disaster Management Agency director-general, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) deputy director-general and the Royal Malaysian Air Force, have participated in this operation using a C-130 aircraft carrying approximately 6,000 liters of sodium chloride solution."
"The solution was sprayed on towering cumulus clouds at an altitude of between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, and within 45 minutes after spraying, heavy rain occurred in the target area," he said.
He noted that cloud seeding operations might also be carried out in other regions based on monitoring by technical agencies, and also warned that the extremely hot weather increases the risk of haze due to forest fires. ■