PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - Wind speeds up to 30kph and 2m high waves were recorded by the Malaysian Meteorological Department in the northern region over the past two days, caused by tropical storm Mekkhala in Vietnam.

The conditions were deemed dangerous enough to capsize small boats and crafts, said its central forecast director Saw Bun Liong yesterday.

'The tropical storm near Vietnam yesterday caused the strengthening of north-westerly winds over the north-western regions of West Malaysia,' he said yesterday.

He said the storm had brought heavy rains over the northern region states with Penang being the hardest hit.

However, the Marine Department warned coastal communities in Perlis, Kedah, Langkawi, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and West Johor to be careful during the next few days and not go out to sea.

'It's going to be a windy Hari Raya for the coastal communities,' said its radio officer Jeyakrishnan Govindasamy yesterday.

Tropical Storm Mekkhala made landfall in Vietnam at around 2am