Drought-hit Malaysia rations water
26 Feb 2014 6:43 AM IST
Authorities began rationing water to thousands of households in Malaysia’s most populous state on Tuesday, as a dry spell depletes reservoirs across a country normally known for its steady tropical downpours.
Much of Malaysia has been under bone-dry conditions for a month and high temperatures have left some reservoirs at ‘critical’ levels, sparking an increase in bushfires and leading to protests in at least one hard-hit community near the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia does tend to experience dry weather early in the year, but the current dry spell has been unusually long.
The lack of significant rainfall has caused increasing alarm, particularly in the state of Selangor, which surrounds Kuala Lumpur, and adjacent areas, as meteorologists have warned the dry patch could last another month. Selangor is Malaysia’s most populous state and its economic and industrial hub.
Water rationing in the state will affect an estimated 60,000 households, according to the Selangor’s private water company.
A Selangor local government spokeswoman said the state was reducing the flow to four water treatment plants ‘until the weather improves’.
Much of Malaysia has been under bone-dry conditions for a month and high temperatures have left some reservoirs at ‘critical’ levels, sparking an increase in bushfires and leading to protests in at least one hard-hit community near the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia does tend to experience dry weather early in the year, but the current dry spell has been unusually long.
The lack of significant rainfall has caused increasing alarm, particularly in the state of Selangor, which surrounds Kuala Lumpur, and adjacent areas, as meteorologists have warned the dry patch could last another month. Selangor is Malaysia’s most populous state and its economic and industrial hub.
Water rationing in the state will affect an estimated 60,000 households, according to the Selangor’s private water company.
A Selangor local government spokeswoman said the state was reducing the flow to four water treatment plants ‘until the weather improves’.
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