Sabah eyeing more cloud seeding operations in present dry spell

KOTA KINABALU: Cloud seeding operations over Sabah's drying up water catchments will continue.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the right type of clouds were needed for similar operations after the first operations were conducted from March 28 to 30 in Papar, Lahad Datu and Tawau districts.

"We will continue the cloud seeding operations until we are able to solve the water supply issues in some parts of the state," he told reporters after giving out Hari Raya cakes for the security forces, healthcare personnel and enforcement agencies on Thursday (April 4).

Hajiji said such cloud seeding operations depended on the advice of experts from the Meteorological Department to pick the right cloud conditions to have a positive result.

Following last month's cloud seeding operations, moderate rainfalls saw the dried up Sebatik Island water dam in Tawau operating again while rainfall was felt over Lahad Datu and drought emergency declared Papar.

However, there were insufficient rainfalls over the Papar river catchments to restart the Limbahau water treatment plant that was shut down on March 13 after sea water invaded upstream of the river.

Sabah government has been sending out water supplies to over 50,000 villagers in 12 dry spell affected districts.

Hajiji said cloud seeding had some positive effect and that such operations are needed if the dry spell continues.

Over the past week, Sabah has had light to moderate rains in some parts of the state though the overall weather conditions remain hot and dry, particularly in the west coast.

Former Sebatik assemblyman Datuk Abdul Muis Picho said there was a need for clean water to be supplied to the islanders as the water treatment plant remains critical.

He said the people still need drinking water and water for their daily use.

"The Sebatik water treatment plant in Wallace Bay does not have enough water to be channelled for the treatment process," he said, adding that the people were still relying on buying their own bottled water.

He said for the long term, the state should consider three large scale tube wells for the island.