KUANTAN – Family members and relatives of the victims who died in the Jeram Air Putih, Kemaman water surge tragedy are now relieved to have fulfilled their responsibilities of burying their loved ones.
They could only utter words of gratitude to those who helped to recover the bodies of the victims.
Mohd Ismail Eiyi, 36, who is the younger brother of Azizah Eiyi, 40, one of those killed in the tragedy, said the family was relieved although only seven bodies of the nine victims had been found.
“Alhamdulillah…the burial went smoothly. Although we were able to bury only seven of them, it is okay,” he told reporters after the funeral at Felda Lepar Hilir 3 Islamic Cemetery here last night.
The remains of Azizah and her husband Karim Abdullah, 39, and their five children, namely Muhammad Zulqarnain Haikal Karim, 11, Putri Nurerina Natasya, 10, Muhammad Haziq Ziqree Karim, 6, Putri Aryana Umaira Karim, 4, and Putri Balqis Izzati Abdul Rahman, 18, were buried in one grave.
The bodies of the seven victims arrived in seven hearses accompanied by a police patrol car from the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, Kuala Terengganu. They were first brought to the Ubbudiah Mosque for funeral prayers.
Also present at the funeral were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Felda chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Pahang police chief Datuk Yahaya Othman.
Ismail said the family was now preparing for the funeral of Putri Alleya Maisarah Karim, 16, whose body was found yesterday and also praying that another of his niece, Putri Nor Fatin Karim, 14, who is still missing, would be found.
Another person still missing in the tragedy is Muhammad Fikri Saliman, 24, from Batu Pahat, Johor who is the fiancé of Putri Balqis Izzati.
The media on Sunday reported that 10 individuals, including a family of nine, went missing after they were swept away by a water surge during a picnic at the waterfall last Saturday. – Bernama, July 5, 2023
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