The Meteorological Department today lifted a warning on tropical storm Pabuk after it moved further away from Malaysian waters, saying it no longer poses danger to the country.

The department's director-general Alui Bahari said the tropical storm is now at 8.9°N 98.2°E, and is expected to blow at 15 kmph towards the northwest heading to the Bay of Bengal.

"However, the storm can now bring heavy rain accompanied by winds at more than 50 kmph with rough seas and waves exceeding 3.5m in the waters of Phuket,” he said in a statement today.

He said the distance of the storm from Arau is 362km and Langkawi 345km. 

Alui added that the statement will be the department's last on tropical storm Pabuk.

However, the Civil Defence Force said that despite the warning being lifted, its personnel are still stationed in the coastal areas of Langkawi, Kuala Kedah and Kuala Muda. 

Kedah Civil Defence Force operations and disaster officer Saifuddin Abdullah said its personnel stationed in the coastal areas would continue to monitor the situation this afternoon as a precautionary measure.

“The operations for this storm has ended, but we are maintaining our level of preparedness by to face any possibility.

“Watersport activities on the Langkawi coast is now allowed, but the public is advised to be vigilant at all times,” he told Bernama.

- Bernama