According to the Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia), the current Southwest monsoon season which will bring higher temperatures and less rain than normal is expected to last until September.

The high temperatures and the dry spell will bring increased health-related issues, water supply shortage, air quality problems and possibility of wild fires.

Not only in Malaysia, other countries are also experiencing out of the ordinary warm weather and drier season. Closer to home, it has been reported that Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand have registered record high temperatures. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Europe, the United States, Africa are facing their worst drought.

However, despite the present high temperatures, Malaysia is unlikely to see an extreme heat wave. Malaysia's extra warm temperature and drought season have been moderated by heavy rain in certain parts of the country.

Although we are not at a critical level, the current dry and hot spell can still affect our wellbeing if not properly addressed.

With a focus on minimizing health hazards, continuous reminders to the public have been issued by the various agencies. The Ministry of Health has come up with tips to avoid exposure to heat stroke.

The Ministry of Education among others, has allowed school sessions and outdoor activities to be suspended when the temperature becomes extreme. Via various communication mediums, the Department of Information, has also stepped up efforts to inform the public on ways to protect themselves.

MET Malaysia too shares the daily temperature readings so that we will have advance notice of any potential threat of extreme heat conditions. The media has also been instrumental in bringing into focus and alerting the public and the government agencies on the impacts and matters related to the current weather conditions.

Due to the widespread dissemination of information, we have seen increased public awareness on the health implications of the present heat wave.

Additionally the government has also approached the situation with specific measures to mitigate the impacts of the current dry spell on the water supply.

Efforts to increase water levels in dams have also been made to minimize water rationing and supply disruptions. Cloud seeding operations have been conducted to induce rainfalls in the catchment areas.

DID with state governments and the National Water Services Commission (Span) have also increased the intakes of raw water from rivers and others sources to dams to ensure comfortable water level and storage. Dam operators have also been asked to activate plans to control water release in anticipation of any prolonged dry season. Additionally, public education programmes on water conservation have also been actively pursued.

Should the water level in dams drop to dangerous levels, water rationing plans have been drawn up. Up to date, there are three dams where their water levels are at dangerous levels – Timah Tasoh (Perlis), Sg Muda, Padu Beris (Kedah), Telok Bahang and Ayer Hitam (Penang).

Similarly, due to the current weather pattern, the Department of Drainage and Irrigation is monitoring closely seven river systems all over the country which have shown alarming trends of receding water levels. Span is also taking steps to monitor sufficient raw water is supplied to water treatment plans.

However, should water cuts be necessary, Span is ready with water tankers and static tanks at critical areas.

To protect the agricultural sector, the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) has placed pumps at strategic locations to transfer raw water directly from its sources like rivers, canals, lakes to agricultural zones bypassing the normal distribution channels which is through the dam system.

Through this way, the dependence of the agricultural sector on water supplied by dams is reduced. The DID has also redistributed water supply to water deficit

dams through a series of underground tunnels.

In addition, efforts to increase water level in dams through redistribution and diversion of raw water sources, potential sources of water have also been identified. The Department of Mineral and Geoscience has marked locations where ground water can be tapped.

With the hot and dry weather, the threat of open burning and wild fires have increased. To mitigate the impacts of the current dry season, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change (NRECC) has activated the national open burning plan.

The activation means enhanced and more monitoring operations by the relevant enforcement agencies to prevent open burning. On top of that, the enforcement of regulations vis-a-vis open burnings is done in stricter manner. Controlling open burning activities is important since they are sources of wild fire and haze.

At the same time, continuous monitoring by the Forestry Department and Fire and Rescue Department is in place to prevent wild and forest fires. Areas which are hotspots for wild and bush fires have been identified and will be monitored by both agencies.

At the international level, cooperation among Asean members have also drastically reduced the occurrences of transborder haze. Although some quarters are urging the government to declare a heat wave emergency in Malaysia, at the moment such a move is not necessary.

The overall situation in the country is still under control and manageable. The government has taken preventive and proactive measures to mitigate the situation. At the same time, our country is also blessed as our temperature levels have not reached the critical levels despite the abnormally high temperatures and drier season.

Nadma will work closely with all strategic partners for better coordination among the government agencies, improved communication between the Federal and state governments and a well-informed society. With all the proactive measures in place, Malaysia is better prepared to face the challenges posed by the current extreme weather conditions than previous years. - NEW STRAITS TIME