Malaysia is expected to experience the extreme hot weather and dry season until May, said Water, Land and Natural Resource Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

He added that six states - Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Kelantan - were expected to face water shortage with the weather turning hot and dry because of the lack of rainfall.

In a statement today, the minister said that there were so many locations that did not receive rainfall for over 30 days, namely Hulu Perak for 56 days and Setiu, Terengganu for 31 days.

Xavier said that other critical areas which had received only less than 25 percent of the average annual rainfall included Rembau and Tampin in Negeri Sembilan and Rompin in Pahang.

Also, Padang Terap in Kedah; Cameron Highlands and Kuantan in Pahang; and Dungun, Hulu Terengganu, Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu in Terengganu were now under the "dangerous" category as these places had also not received enough rainfall.

The current weather would lead to a lack of river and dam water resources in the country.

Xavier said there were three dams which now had a storage capacity of only around 50 percent.

The three dams were the Muda Dam at 58.97 percent (Kedah), Machap Dam at 55.61 percent and Sembrong Dam at 54.07 percent (Johor). The Bukit Kwong Dam in Kelantan was at a storage capacity of 37.28 percent, he added.

The distribution of water to consumers in terms of daily, industrial and agricultural needs especially for padi growers should be controlled by rotation or by rescheduling the replanting of the crop, he said.

Xavier said that the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had requested that authorities in their respective states discharge water from their dams in a more controlled manner.

- Bernama