Praying for more rainy days

Big relief: A filepic showing rain pelting the hazy skyline at Macalister Road, George Town on Oct 6.

WITH dry throats and constricted chests, a few pious Penangites ate their vegetarian meals uneasily in the middle of last month. It was nine vegan days of cleansing, a tradition repeated for generations. Something was missing though — the rain.

It is the ‘only’ defence against the haze but Penang had no rain during the particular festive period from Oct 13 to 21, except for a brief dawn shower on Oct 18 that gave 22mm.