KANGAR: Perlis has gone without any rain for 29 days in a row, and Chuping was the hottest town in the country at 36.9 °C last Thursday.

Chuping’s temperature has been the highest in Malaysia for the last two months.

Perlis Meteorological Department Director Mohd. Saharudi Saad said 9.2 mm of rain was recorded in January, and the meteorological station in Chuping recorded zero rainfall for 29 consecutive days while another station at Kangar jetty was 30 days without rain!

According to the Meteorological Department of Malaysia forecast, the hot weather is expected to last from February until May.

Based on past records from 1951 to 2022, Chuping was the hottest town in the country with a high of 40.1 °C recorded on April 9, 1998.

Izizan Ibrahim, the state executive councilor in charge of utilities and public facilities, said the water level at Timah Tasoh Dam dropped slightly from 29.10 to 28.57 meters.

As of February 6, water level at the dam fell an average of two centimeters a day.

Izizan told the media the water at the dam was still enough for use 90 days without rainfall.

If the water level drops below 27.10 meters, the state government will have to seek a solution with the state irrigation and drainage department, he added.

The state government will review the status of the dam at the end of the month.

Due to the hot and dry spell, water at Timah Tasoh Dam has to be channeled for agricultural use, but the authorities will ensure sufficient water for domestic use, Izizan explained.