M'SIAN MINISTER: "OUR WEATHER FORECASTS ABOUT 90 PCT ACCURATE"

BESUT (Terengganu, Malaysia), Sept 21(Bernama) -- The government's action
in consistently upgrading facilities at meteorological stations and centres with
modern equipment have boosted the accuracy of its weather forecasts, said
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili.

He said weather forecast by the Meteorological Department had reached
an accuracy of 86.7 per cent.

"Our success is also shared with the meterological departments of
neighbouring countries and subscribed to by international petroleum companies,"
he told reporters after opening the Gong Kedak Meterological office, near here,
Tuesday.

The Ministry has also set up an Earthquake Tsunami Monitoring System on the
East Coast with the installation of a water-level gauge at Perhentian Island and
a siren, seismology station and close circuit television system in Kuala
Terengganu.

Currently, Ongkili said that the ministry was working on delivering
information on the weather to the public speedily and accurately, in the event
of a disaster.

Various information conduits had been created through the electronic media,
Twitter and Facebook, and through direct contacts with the security committees
at state levels, if something untoward took place in a short period of time, he
added.
-- BERNAMA