Malaysia launches cloud-seeding while Indonesian fires scorch area larger than half of Perlis

As of Monday, Malaysia's MetMalaysia has flown 60 cloud-seeding missions across the country to address dry conditions and haze, focusing on zones experiencing rainfall deficits. Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip explained that flights are launched only when clouds capable of producing rain are present, with a reported success rate of over 90 percent in inducing precipitation, though not all rain can be attributed to the seeding.

Meanwhile, forest fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan island have burned an area exceeding half the size of Perlis, based on figures from the Forestry Ministry's Sipongi system and the National Disaster Management Agency. The majority of the burned land lies in West Kalimantan, with additional fires in the central, southern and eastern provinces. Experts highlight that peat-land fires emit large volumes of smoke that linger and can be carried by winds into Malaysia and Singapore, worsening air-quality indices. Climate specialists also note that ongoing hot, dry weather linked to El Niño raises the risk of further fires in the region.