CIVIL society groups helped to transport the bodies of seven victims who died in the Air Putih water surge tragedy back to Kuantan at 6.25pm earlier this evening.

Patrol cars from the Kemaman district police headquarters escorted the hearses right up to Felda Lepar Hilir 3, Muslim cemetery in Gambang, Kuantan. 

The seven victims were Karim Abdullah, 39, and his wife, Azizah Eiyi, 40, and five of their children, Muhammad Zulqarnain Haikal Karim, 11, Putri Nurerina Natasya,10, Muhammad Haziq Ziqree Karim, six, Putri Aryana Umaira Karim, four, and Putri Balqis Izzati Abdul Rahman, 18. 

The late Azizah’s sister-in-law Rosilawati Kassim, 49, said all their relatives who are still in Terengganu will be returning to Gambang to perform the last rites and burials tonight.

“Tomorrow, we will return to Terengganu because there are two more family members who have yet to be found,” she said.

“The body of Putri Alleya Maisarah is also still in the morgue at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital,” she said when met at the hospital earlier today.

Rosilawati said all preparations for the burials have been kindly taken care of by relatives and villagers, who are all saddened by the tragedy that had befallen the family. – Bernama, July 4, 2023.