PETALING JAYA, Nov 3 — The Malaysia Meteorological Department has no plans to install an alarm system to detect “mini tornadoes” although the country has been hit by six  since August.

Its meteorological officer, Ambun Dindang, said the number of cases in the country were not high enough to merit the installation of an alarm although the country has recorded the highest number of mini tornadoes this year.

“The cases are very low. We have no plans for such an alarm but if the situation gets worse and if the system to detect them is really effective, we will consider setting it up,” he said.

“I advice residents to take the initiative by updating themselves on the weather condition as a preventive measure.”

Ambun said the department uses the Doppler radar system used to determine the location and velocity of a storm, clouds and precipitation in the atmosphere.

“We have located a radar in Alor Star, Kedah, but it has limitations and could not detect the recent mini tornado because it was small and far from the radar station.”

When asked why there were so many land or water spouts this year compared with previous years, Ambun said spouts occurred because of unstable atmospheric conditions caused by a change in wind direction.

Describing it as a “minor phenomena”, he said spouts usually happen during the inter-monsoon period.

“There are more spouts this year because there is a lot of cumulonimbus cloud formation. It is the most suitable atmosphere for a mini tornado to occur.”

He said the inter-monsoon period starts in early October and lasts until mid-November.

Ambun said the recent mini tornado which had hit Kuala Sungai, Kedah, was caused by moist air near the earth surface.

“There are three reasons for mini tornadoes. First, it is caused by cumulonimbus clouds. Second, it normally occurs in wide and open spaces, and third, when there is moist air at the lower level of the earth,” he said.

The six mini tornadoes this year have damaged more than 150 homes, mostly in the Peninsula.