KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Residents in northern peninsular Malaysia are facing severe water shortages and rising temperatures as a prolonged heatwave continues to grip Kedah and Perlis.

In Kampung Lubuk Tualang, Sik, Sungai Tebal is running unusually shallow, exposing sandbanks in several areas, while local hill water sources have dried up, forcing villagers to ration their limited supplies, Harian Metro reported today.

“We only have enough water stored in the basin for basic needs like bathing and washing clothes, and drinking water we have to buy,” resident Norfitriyatul Md Tanziri, 46, told the Malay daily.

The extreme conditions have forced residents to adjust daily routines. 

“Besides early morning and late afternoon, it is just too hot to go outside; the heat feels different here than in Kuala Lumpur,” Norfitriyatul added.

Even traditional practices are being affected, with palm leaves used for making ketupat during the Raya festivities spoiling faster due to the intense heat, according to 76-year-old Kedahan Aminah Ahmad.

MetMalaysia reported that Padang Terap is experiencing a level two heatwave, with daily maximum temperatures between 37°C and 40°C, while 14 other areas in the peninsular remain on alert, including all of Perlis and several districts in Kedah such as Baling, Sik, Pendang, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu, Langkawi, Kuala Muda, and Bandar Baharu.

The extreme heat is also affecting agriculture, with rice fields outside the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) areas reporting poor yields due to limited irrigation.

“Many complaints have been received from outside Mada areas; the situation inside Mada is not as bad as in areas dependent on rainfall,” Abdul Rashid Yob, chairman of the Malaysian Rice Farmers Brotherhood, was quoted as saying.

He said the most affected crops are those aged 40 to 50 days, adding that in severely impacted areas, up to 90 per cent of rice crops could fail, potentially causing significant financial losses.

Salleh Lebai Hassan, 62, a farmer from Yan, described the season as one of the worst in his 46 years of farming, with cracked fields and insufficient water supply despite assistance from Mada and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID).

Water levels in key reservoirs have also dropped drastically, with the Muda Dam at just 8.44 per cent, Pedu at 40.28 per cent, and Ahning at 54.57 per cent, leaving overall water storage in northern Kedah and Perlis at 39.63 per cent.

In Perlis, the heat and shrinking Timah Tasoh Reservoir have raised concerns over the survival of freshwater fish in sanctuary cages.

“The receding water will continue until next August before the rainy season returns,” Abdul Azhar Abdul Aziz, 38, deputy chairman of the local inland fishermen’s association, told Harian Metro.

He warned that exposed lakebeds could turn acidic and threaten fish populations.

Authorities have urged the public to conserve water, with the Perlis DID issuing notices to optimise usage and prevent further disruption.