PENANG: Penangites woke up to clearer skies yesterday, thanks to an early morning downpour.
A state Meteorological Services Department spokesman, however, said the haze could return today due to south-westerly winds.
“The situation will be helped by morning showers on the island. Late afternoon thunderstorms are forecast for the mainland,” she said.
The spokesman said yesterday’s downpour, at about 5am, cleared the skies of the haze that had shrouded the state in the past few days.
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It was clearer skies at the Penang Marine Police base in Batu Uban, thanks to an early morning downpour. |
“As at 4pm yesterday, visibility in Bayan Lepas and Butterworth was more than 10km,” she said, adding that visibility in Alor Star and Chuping was still poor at 4km and 6km respectively while visibility in Langkawi was at 7km.
State Department of Environment assistant director Marzuki Mokahatar said air quality readings for Seberang Jaya and at Universiti Sains Malaysia had improved to the moderate level yesterday. But the air in Prai was still unhealthy.
State Education Department director Salleh Abdul Karim said school authorities were advised not to hold outdoor activities until the air quality had improved.
A private practitioner said his clinics had recorded a 50% increase in cough and cold cases in the past week.
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