Worst is yet to come for Penang

Feeling the heat: The field in front of the St George’s Church in George Town is turning brown due to the scorching heat. — KT GOH/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: A hot spell with lower rainfall is projected in Malaysia from now until March but Penang has already seen a “fiery” start to the year with a blaze that damaged a cemetery in Lorong Batu Lanchang and a peat fire at a landfill that caused the evacuation and closure of schools.

While the Fire and Rescue Department is still fighting to put out the smouldering fire at the Pulau Burung landfill, nearby residents have started to move out to temporary relief centres while 10 schools have been ordered to close for three days.