PETALING JAYA: The renowned Taiping Lake Gardens is facing a severe drought, with parts of the lake drying up due to prolonged extreme weather and a significant lack of rainfall.

According to The Star, Pokok Assam assemblyman Ong Seng Guan said the drought spell began approximately two weeks ago.

“It had not rained for quite some time. I believe about 40% of the lake is impacted,“ he told the English daily.

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“The temperature had also risen to quite high, with some folk saying nearly 40 degrees Celsius.”

“One such waterfall that has dried up, Ranting Waterfall, which could be seen easily with the naked eye from the town, just shows how serious it is,“ he was further quoted as saying.

Taiping, famously known as “Rain Town” for its frequent downpours and holding the title of Malaysia’s wettest town, last experienced a severe drought around a decade ago.

“And in the last few years, the water levels at the lake and rivers have dropped but not as bad as they are now,” he said.

He mentioned that in response, the Taiping municipal council is taking advantage of the low water levels to clean the lake and some rivers, ensuring smooth water flow when the rains return.

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