Sarawak is preparing for another cloud-seeding attempt as falling dam levels raise concern ahead of a possible stronger El Niño. MetMalaysia is assessing whether weather conditions will support an operation between Sept 3 and 5. A coordination meeting on Sept 1 will help determine whether the clouds are suitable. The dates are only a possible operating window, not a confirmed flight schedule or a guarantee of rain. Earlier cloud-seeding operations on May 11 and 12, and June 19 to 21, were reported to have helped dam levels. Sarawak is also setting up a special operations team at the State Disaster Command Centre to track water levels, while welfare agencies and the Rural Water Supply Department continue water assistance where needed. For Kuching and other divisions, residents should treat the early-September dates as something to monitor alongside official water-supply and haze updates. MetMalaysia expects below-average rainfall in southwestern Sarawak from October to December, but the actual impact will still depend on cloud formation, rainfall and wind conditions.

A prolonged dry spell left about 500 residents in four Padawan villages short of water after their wells and gravity-fed systems dried up. [image: 1786669582960-20260814-padawan-water.jpg] The affected communities were Kampung Sitang, Kampung Biya Nusaraya, Kampung Biya Parang and Kampung Peremas. Their village chiefs channelled requests for help through the Padawan Sub-district Office after local water sources could no longer meet daily needs. At the time of the Aug 13 report, the Welfare Department had delivered bottled water to Kampung Biya Nusaraya and Kampung Biya Parang. That detail matters: assistance had started, but the report did not say that every affected household in all four villages had already received supplies. This was a rural-source shortage, not a citywide Kuching outage. Communities that depend on wells and gravity-fed systems can run short much earlier during a dry spell. Kampung Bangau, Kampung Petang and other upper Padawan villages were also identified as being at risk if dry weather continued. Residents facing the same problem should report it quickly through their village head or the Padawan Sub-district Office so demand can be recorded and aid coordinated. Official rural water notices can also be checked through JBALB Sarawak. Affected: Four Padawan villages, about 500 residents Photo: DayakDaily Sources: DayakDaily report · JBALB Sarawak