Six areas in Malaysia have hit, exceeded heatwave threshold

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Six places in Malaysia have either hit or exceeded the heatwave threshold, based on statistics as of yesterday. 

Bernama reports that these areas are: Chuping, Perlis; Alor Setar, Kedah; Ipoh and Lubuk Merbau, Perak, and Batu Embun and Temerloh, Pahang. 

"The current hot weather is due to the strong El Nino phenomenon. This anomaly occurs at irregular intervals of two to seven years,” Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau was quoted as saying.

"The hot weather can trigger a heatwave that can lead to health risks such as hyperthermia or heat stroke and dehydration,” he was quoted further. 

The heat threshold for Malaysia was, according to him, 35 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days and an increase of two degrees Celsius in the long-term average maximum temperature.