Drought-hit Malaysian state to hold prayers for rain

Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian state has announced it would hold prayers to beg for rain as it struggles to cope with a prolonged dry spell, a news report said Wednesday. The north-eastern state of Kelantan, which is ruled by the Islamic hardline Parti Islam SeMalaysia, said the prayers would take place Friday night.

Chief Minister Nik Aziz Nik Mat said water levels at the state's dams were at a "serious" level because of the lack of rainfall in the past few months, the official Bernama news agency said.

The state's agriculture department chief had earlier expressed concerns that the dry spell could result in losses of up to 52 million ringgit (15.75 million dollars) due to parched rice fields in the state, which is one of the country's main rice producers.

The national Meteorological Department said dry weather affecting most parts of the country could last until mid-April, and advised the public to refrain from open burning.

The central state of Negeri Sembilan has already imposed water rationing in response to low water levels.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313356,drought-hit-malaysian-state-to-hold-prayers-for-rain.html.