KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department said the thunderstorm and strong winds which lashed the states of Penang, Perlis and Kedah last night, are not expected to recur.
When contacted by Bernama today, its director-general Jailan Simon said the situation in the three states had returned to normal, with the possibility of cloudy weather and normal rains taking place.
The positive angle to last night’s occurrence which resulted from the tail end of Typhoon Lekima, was that the heavy rains had reduced the haze, he said.
Meanwhile in Kedah, a total of 140 schools in eight districts suffered damage to roofs and ceilings, while the teachers quarters in Kuah, Langkawi lost its roof, as a result of last night’s storm.
According to state Education and Human Resources Committee chairman Dr Salmee Said, the eight districts were Kuala Muda, Yan, Padang Terap, Kubang Pasu, Pendang, Baling, Kota Setar and Kulim-Bandar Baharu.
In a statement issued today, he said the state education department would attend to the repairs to the schools immediately, adding that the damage would not affect students as they were on a break until Aug 17 in conjunction with the Aidiladha celebration and the school break.
In another storm-related incident in Kedah, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said in a statement today that a search operation was underway for Azimat Hasan, aged 62, who is believed to have been thrown overboard from a boat during rough sea conditions in Titi Tok Arab waters off Jerlun.
Kuala Kedah maritime zone director Maritime Commander Mahmad Faizal Ahmad said the agency was alerted to the emergency at 9.50pm by the missing man’s relative, and launched the search operation at 10.15pm - it was later suspended due to bad weather with waves of three to five metres high and limited visibility.
The search resumed at 7am this morning with local fishermen also assisting. — Bernama
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