KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 4 — The severe weather warning for Terengganu due to tropical storm Pabuk has been lifted following better weather today.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department lifted the warning at 10am following the storm now having passed the state, State Disaster Management Secretariat head  Lt Col Che Adam A Rahman told Bernama.

Terengganu was hit by gale force winds the last two days due to the storm.

The state capital Kuala Terengganu witnessed uprooting of trees while a number of houses in Kuala Nerus were damaged.

Pabuk has now reached the Gulf of Thailand and is on its way to the Bay of Bengal.

In Pasir Mas, Kelantan police chief  Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said police had been instructed to increase patrols in coastal areas and extend assistance  to the public if they were affected by the cyclone.

In George Town, Penang Civil Defence Force director Kolonel (PA) Pang Ah Lek said the department has placed red flags at the island’s beaches to warn people about the storm.

In Lumut, Manjung District Disaster Management and Assistance Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Fariz Mohamad Hanip advised tourism industry players in the district to take additional precautions in the wake of the storm even though its impact there would not be that great.

In Langkawi, the island’s Civil Defence Department issued a directive to cease all sea recreational activities tomorrow until the storm has passed the popular holiday destination, expected about 2pm.

In Kuala Perlis, Perlis Civil Defence Department director Lt Kol Ishak Mohd Radzi said the people in the state must remain vigilant even though the state would be at the tail end of the cyclone. — Bernama