CHUKAI, July 6 — It is best to listen and give the next-of-kin the space they need to process their grief during this harrowing moment of losing so many loved ones, said psychology officer Suraida Abdullah from the Kemaman District Health Office, referring to the Air Putih Waterfall water surge tragedy which occurred on July 1.
Met at the Air Putih police station operations command centre, Suraida was on duty with three other personnel to provide psychological first aid to the family members awaiting for news of two victims who have yet to be found.
“It is better to just listen rather than ask them because questions at this time will be linked to their sorrow and loss and it will affect them.
“Of course, we ask out of care and concern but we need to read the situation. My advice to members of the public and neighbours who visit them after this is to give them the space to bring up the situation themselves. When they open up and speak, we listen, learn how to read their expressions and respond appropriately,” she said.
Suraida said her team uses several activities, such as colouring and games like snakes-and-ladders, to help the affected children express their emotions.
“The children find it hard to talk about what they are going through, even more so when the cousins who perished were the same age as them. It is worse because they were neighbours and playmates, it is like they have lost their ‘gang’ in this tragedy.
“Most of them just keep quiet when we try to engage. So the games and activities provide a way for them to become more comfortable with us first,” she said.
The tragedy will have a long-term impact on the next of kin, who are traumatised by it, and they need immediate support.
Meanwhile, Wana Zahari, 32, who is the sister-in-law of Azizah Eiyi, 40, one of the victims, said her nephews and nieces are shocked by the sudden loss of their seven cousins, with whom they were really close, and keep asking about what actually happened.
In the incident on Saturday, 10 individuals who had gone on a picnic at the Air Putih waterfalls were swept away by a water surge. So far eight bodies have been found and two are still missing.
— Bernama
