Several locations in the West Coast states of the Peninsula as well as a few parts of Sabah and Sarawak are predicted to be hit by tornado, similar to what happened in Perak yesterday.

According to Ambun Dindang, senior director of the Center for Meteorological Instrumentation and Atmospheric Science, Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the states that will be most likely affected are Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan.

"We find that most (tornadoes) occur in the states on the West Coast of the Peninsula, apart from Sabah and Sarawak, which have also reported similar incidents," he said. "Most (will happen) in coastal areas such as Bintulu, Miri and Labuan waters as well as the West Coast of Sabah. The areas have reported tornadoes and it will always happen when the weather conditions are right (presence of cumulonimbus clouds)."

Yesterday, hundreds of houses were damaged due to storms and tornadoes in several areas in Ipoh, Perak. Ambun also explained that the factor in the occurrence of this incident is usually due to the presence of large cumulonimbus clouds causing strong convection in the cloud, which in turn formed a cloud funnel at the base of the cloud.

He said it is generally difficult for MetMalaysia to predict tornadoes in Malaysia as they occurred on a small scale with a short lifespan. "Tornadoes of this magnitude occur only momentarily, at most within an hour. So, the period to monitor this event is quite short, which is why it is quite difficult to predict, but we see the formation of cumulonimbus clouds using our radar images available throughout Malaysia."  

Among the early signs of a tornado is the formation of large clouds, dark cloud bases, and cloud funnels protruding downwards. The public is therefore advised to always be vigilant in the event of any natural disaster, apart from avoiding the area and seeking shelter in a safe place.

Source: Berita Harian