KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 -- The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large swathes of Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Sarawak, effective immediately until 7.00pm this evening.

The alert, issued at 4.40pm, warns of thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds, impacting the peak Friday evening commute for millions of residents in major urban centres.

Key areas affected include the entirety of Perak and Penang, along with most districts in Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

The warning also extends to Perlis, nearly all of Kedah, parts of Negeri Sembilan, and several districts in Johor, including Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi.

On the east coast of the peninsula, ...