Selangor Journal
Search and rescue personnel recover a body during their search operation on July 3, 2023. — Picture by JBPM TERENGGANU

Water surge tragedy: Seven more bodies found

CHUKAI, July 3 — Another seven victims in the Jeram Air Putih water surge tragedy were recovered today, making it nine out of the 10 so far out of those who were swept away by raging waters at the recreational spot on Saturday.

Three of the victims were identified as Putri Aryana Umaira Karim, 4, Muhammad Haziq Ziqree Karim, 6, and Putri Nurerina Natasya Karim, 10.

Terengganu police chief Datuk Mazli Mazlan said all seven victims were found in Sectors A and B covering a 25-kilometre radius within the 32-kilometre-wide incident site.

“All the bodies were recovered between 11am and 1pm today.  They were found between tree branches, floating in the water and by the river bank.

“There were two adult males, one adult female and two boys and two girls. Four of them have yet to be identified,” Mazli told a press conference at the Air Putih police station operations control centre, here, today.

He said fair weather conditions and slower river currents enabled the search operation to go smoothly, and it will be continued to recover the last missing victim.

The 10 individuals, who were having a picnic at the Jeram Air Putih waterfall, were swept away by a water surge phenomenon on Saturday.

The group comprised nine individuals from one family from Felda Lepar Hilir, Kuantan, Pahang and a man from Batu Pahat, Johor, who was believed to be engaged to a family member.

Members of the public found two of the bodies yesterday afternoon, identified as Azizah Eiyi, 40, and her son Muhammad Zulqarnain Haikal Karim, 11.

— Bernama

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