Officials on alert as major dam climbs toward maximum capacity amid downpours: 'A strong buffer for … water supply'

Officials on alert as major dam climbs toward maximum capacity amid downpours: 'A strong buffer for … water supply'

After four years of lower levels, a reservoir in Penang, Malaysia, has reached 99% capacity thanks to consistent downpours, reported New Straits Times. The Air Itam dam hit 99.4% of its total volume this week. The reservoir hadn't been this full since late 2021, when it reached just over 93% capacity. Over 20 inches of rain fell on the dam's surrounding watershed between early September and late October. Water managers will increase daily extrac…