KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 -- The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has triggered a thunderstorm alert for a wide stretch of Peninsular Malaysia this morning.

Residents are urged to prepare for heavy rain and strong winds, with the warning remaining active until 12:00pm today.

The warning, issued at 9:10am, covers parts of Kedah, including Langkawi, Kulim and Bandar Baharu, as well as the whole of Penang.

In Perak, the affected districts are Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama, Kuala Kangsar, Manjung, Kinta, Perak Tengah, Kampar, Bagan Datuk, Hilir Perak, Batang Padang and Muallim.

The warning also extends to Raub district in Pahang, the entire state of Selangor, the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, the Neger...