Malaysia orders schools to shut due to heat wave

Malaysia's education ministry on Monday ordered all schools in Kedah and Perlis state to remain shut on Tuesday and Wednesday due to heat wave.

"It will be decided on Wednesday if schools will remain further closed due to the extremely hot weather," Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid said.

He said schools are to close if temperatures exceeded 39 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days.

Malaysia is now experiencing hot and dry weather caused by the El Nino phenomenon and the Malay­sian Meteorological Depart­ment has predicted that the situation will only end in May or June.