GEORGE TOWN, Aug 1 — The Penang government is asking the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to carry out cloud seeding operations so that rains can fall and fill the two dams on its island half as the dry spell continues.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state wrote to Nadma on July 19 and followed-up after that, but has yet to hear from the agency even as water levels at the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam dip further.

As of today, the effective capacity of Air Itam Dam is 35.8 per cent while Teluk Bahang Dam is at 29.6 per cent.

"The cloud seeding implemented at the Muda catchment in Kedah will also help us,” Chow said in a press conference at his office in Komtar today.

He said the Muda catchment will supply to Muda Dam which then will be released to the Muda River which Penang extracts water from.

"Sungai Muda provides 85 per cent of water to Penang,” he said.

He said recently, the water level at Sungai Dua has increased as water was released into the river.

"We hope the cloud seeding is successful in Muda so that water can be released continuously and we will be above critical level,” he said.

He said Penang has been drawing from the Mengkuang Dam to make up for the shortfall due to the low levels at Sungai Muda.

"Mengkuang Dam capacity levels used to be above 97 per cent and it has dropped to 87 per cent,” he said.