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AS of 6am Monday, Malaysia has recorded no Level 2 heatwaves, according to the latest update from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
Data shows the entire state of Perlis and nine districts in Kedah are under Level 1 heat alert, or a precautionary status, with maximum daily temperatures ranging between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius.
The districts in Kedah include Sik, Padang Terap, Pendang, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu, Langkawi, Kota Setar, Kuala Muda, and Baling.
Bernama reported today that Level 2 heatwave status, which is not currently in effect anywhere in the country, applies to temperatures exceeding 37 to 40 degrees Celsius sustained for at least three consecutive days.
Some relief was observed yesterday as rain fell in parts of Kedah, including Kota Setar, Kubang Pasu, and Kuala Muda, consistent with the transitional monsoon phase that often brings rainfall or thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, in Kota Bharu, the unusual green hue and reduced water levels in several rivers across Kelantan are being attributed to extended dry weather and ecosystem stress, rather than an indication of cleaner water.
Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Faiz Mohd Amin, head of the Climate, Water and Environmental Resilience Research Group at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan’s Faculty of Earth Sciences, explained that both phenomena are interlinked due to the lack of rainfall.
“During the rainy season, the Kelantan River typically carries high loads of suspended sediments from erosion, giving the water a murky brown colour.
The current clarity and green tint are a physical change caused by lower sediment flow,” he told Bernama.
Dr Mohamad Faiz noted that when water becomes clearer, sunlight penetrates deeper, highlighting the natural colours of aquatic systems, including the presence of phytoplankton or algae at certain levels.
“This greenish appearance is more plausibly linked to sediment reduction rather than algae blooms,” he said.
He also cautioned that declining water levels, such as the Golok River reaching 3.26 metres—well below the normal five-metre level—reduce the river’s capacity to dilute pollutants.
Lower water volume concentrates nutrients from agricultural runoff or waste, while rising temperatures further stress aquatic life.
“These conditions can affect water quality and threaten raw water supplies as well as daily drinking water for residents,” he warned, adding that the current situation in Kelantan serves as an early indicator of a climate-driven water security crisis, with increasingly erratic rainfall and longer dry spells.
“The condition may make rivers look ‘prettier’ today, but their natural ability to sustain life is diminishing. Water resource management must shift towards more adaptive, data-driven systems that can respond to climate change,” Dr Mohamad Faiz added. - March 30, 2026