The Bukit Merah dam is stuffed to the brim yesterday but it surely was at important ranges at the peak of the El Nino drought final yr. — Picture by Marcus Pheong
Saturday, 18 Jun 2022 4:49 PM MYT
SUBANG, June 18 — The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) in collaboration with the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) carried out a cloud seeding operation (CSO) at the Bukit Merah Dam, Semanggol, Perak at the moment.
Agriculture and Food Industries Deputy Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah mentioned the operation centered on two Integrated Agricultural Development Areas (IADAs) overlaying greater than 20,000 hectares.
“This operation is carried out at IADA in the Kerian district covering 19,000 hectares while the cloud seeding at the IADA area in Penang involves 1,267 hectares,” he mentioned in an OPA press convention at the RMAF base right here at the moment.
Ahmad mentioned the operation was aimed not solely at rising the water degree at the dam but additionally restoring the irrigation system for home, industrial and agriculture use.
“We are confident that this operation will directly benefit 8,869 padi farmers in the Kerian area and 1,267 from the IADA Penang area,” he mentioned.
On the mechanism used for the operation this time, MetMalaysia deputy director-general of Operations Lim Ze Hui mentioned the seeding was achieved utilizing 800 kilogrammes of salt that had been dissolved with 4,800 litres of water in 4 water tanks, flown utilizing the Charlie 130 Hercules plane.
“For each spray in the suitable cloud, it takes 30 minutes to rain and according to our analysis today, the weather conditions are good and we have high chances (of success),” he mentioned.
Meanwhile, Ahmad mentioned the water degree at the Bukit Merah Dam reached the important degree on May 27 and this had resulted in provide disruptions within the space.
“The water level in the dam stands at 27 feet (8.25 metres), less than 1.5 feet (0.45 metres) from the normal level of 28.5 feet (8.70 metres) and the dam is at level one,” he mentioned.
The operation was carried out by 11 members of the RMAF collectively with three MetMalaysia workers. — Bernama