KANGAR, March 20 — Due to the rising temperature in Perlis, rice fields, streams and rivers have started to dry up, parched due to the harsh weather.

The drought has also affected water catchment and water storage areas in the state, as the only dam in Perlis, the Timah Tasoh Lake in Beseri, has seen water levels recede to the minimum level.

The dam’s water level was recorded at 26.81m yesterday, 1.51m above the dam’s minimum level of 25.30m. The dam does, however, have a water reserve pond which was still at 40 per cent capacity.

Locals are worried that the water supply might dwindle and force water rationing to come into effect, but they remain hopeful despite experiencing one of the worst droughts and hot weather in recent years.

Muhamad Shahbuddin Aminuddin, 24, a general worker at Timah Tasoh Lake Resort, said Perlis had never faced water rationing before.

“Our usual daily temperature is about 36°C, but it’s hotter than usual now because of the harsh weather,” he said.

“We have seen the dam dry up before. It is still OK for now and we are hoping things do not get worse.”

His colleague, Mohd Hariz Adam, 27, who lives in Chuping, said the water supply has never been a problem for them, and even if the current weather does result in a disruption, he hopes it is only temporary.

“There were a few times where the water supply was disrupted because the dam’s level dropped to a critical level, but there was rainfall and the dam’s water levels managed to rise,” he said.

The waterfall at Bukit Ayer Recreational Forest was almost completely dried up, while the river in Gua Kelam has become shallow.

Siti Salehah Azhar, 35, from Kuantan, Pahang, said she came to Gua Kelam with her family to take a dip in the river but was shocked that the river had almost dried up.

“The water was shallow and stagnant. Not ideal to swim in,” she said.

The Bukit Ayer Recreational Forest, which usually sees a healthy stream of visitors during the school holidays, was almost deserted.

Suraya Ahmad, 28, from Kangar, said there were hardly any visitors at the Bukit Ayer Recreational Forest lately because the water had receded.

“People come here to swim but there is hardly any water now due to dry spell,” she said.

The hot season is expected to continue till June, and the equinox phenomenon does not help either as the whole country, especially the northern region, experiences the hottest day of the year so far.