KLANG – The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) coordinated a cloud seeding operation on September 19 in an effort to increase the likelihood of rainfall in parts of the Klang Valley affected by hazy conditions and unhealthy air quality.
The operation was carried out across Selangor and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, with NADMA working alongside the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia), the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and No. 20 Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
The operation began at 11.30am from Subang Air Base and involved the use of four tanks of salt solution for cloud seeding. The material was deployed in areas identified as having atmospheric conditions considered suitable for cloud formation.
NADMA said the operation was undertaken amid persistent air quality concerns in several parts of the Klang Valley. The PM2.5 Air Pollutant Index (API) reading had remained above 150 for more than 24 hours leading up to 11am on September 18, according to the agency.
The conditions coincided with hot weather and reduced rainfall associated with the Southwest Monsoon (SWM), which can contribute to prolonged dry conditions in affected areas.
Cloud seeding is being used as one of the immediate measures to support efforts to address the effects of the haze. The operation was intended to improve the prospects of rainfall in locations where atmospheric conditions were considered favourable for the process.
The authorities’ approach depends on the presence of suitable clouds and atmospheric conditions, meaning operations are conducted in areas where there is sufficient potential for cloud development.
The September 19 operation concluded at 12.50pm after the cloud seeding activities had been carried out in the identified areas.
NADMA’s coordination of the operation involved several agencies with different responsibilities, including weather monitoring, aviation safety and aerial operations. MET Malaysia provided meteorological input, while CAAM and the RMAF were involved in supporting the operational requirements.
The operation comes as authorities continue to monitor air quality and weather conditions across the Klang Valley. The focus on rainfall reflects efforts to mitigate the immediate effects of haze in areas experiencing elevated particulate pollution.
Among those present and involved in the operation were YDH DCP Datuk Mazli bin Mazlan, Director of the Operations Implementation Section at NADMA, and Mr Yuzaimi bin Mahat, Director of the Atmospheric Science and Cloud Seeding Division at MET Malaysia.
The operation represents a coordinated response involving federal agencies as authorities assess weather and air quality conditions. Further cloud seeding activity would depend on prevailing atmospheric conditions and the assessment of the agencies involved.
