KL traffic jams may trigger urban heat island, say experts

KUALA LUMPUR: The sharp increase in the number of vehicles on roads in the federal capital of late may result in the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where temperatures in the city are warmer than in the suburbs.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Centre for Innovative Planning and Development director Professor Dr Muhammad Zaly Shah Muhammad Hussein said the phenomenon was aggravated by densely-constructed buildings and paved road surfaces which can form an island of trapped heat in a locality.