12 more bodies found in Penang
PENANG: Another 12 victims of the tsunami were recovered in Batu Feringghi, Tanjong Tokong, Pasir Panjang and Pantai Aceh, bringing the total number of deaths here to 43.
Zunaidah Mat Desa, 30, and Low Ee Theam, 62, were fished out of the sea by the marine police at about 9am yesterday in Pasir Panjang and Pantai Acheh. The body of Siti Noorsyuhada Zulkifli, 10, was recovered at Pasir Panjang in Balik Pulau at 5.15pm.
Eleven-month-old Kung Boon Huey, Rohana Wan Hassan, 39, five-year-old Mohamad Daniel Azahir and an unidentified body were recovered at Pasir Panjang between 5.30pm and 7.50pm.
In Batu Feringghi and Tanjong Tokong, the bodies of Chan Oh Peh, 64, eight-year-old Siti Najirah Md Salleh, Mohd Firdaus Mohd Hassan, 10, and two unidentified girls, aged between eight and 14, were recovered between 11am and 5.30pm.
At least 17 people, aged between three and 65, reported missing in Pulau Betong and Batu Feringghi were still unaccounted for, as at 7.30pm, with the marine police, navy and fire and rescue department are still searching for the bodies.
Official records showed that 31 people in Penang, mostly picnickers, drowned on Sunday after tidal waves hit the coastal areas.
Siti Najirah’s mother, Fauziah Bidin, 37, when met at the scene yesterday, said her Year Two daughter was having lunch with her three siblings when the huge waves appeared out of nowhere at about 1.30pm on Sunday.
“I grasped her hand as she was being swept away but the waves were too strong for me to hold on to her. I could only watch helplessly as the waters engulfed her.
“Fortunately, my two sons, aged three and 11, and another daughter, seven, made their way to safety. I was so relieved that Siti Najirah’s body was found. She will be buried in Kulim tonight,” she said in between tears.
Out of a family of 10, one died and seven were reported missing in Teluk Bahang. Ng Hock Bah, 56, said his 36-year-old daughter-in-law’s family was missing.
“They told me that they were going to Teluk Bahang for an outing on that day. I became worried when they failed to return by 8pm.
“Out of the 10 people who went on the outing, seven are still missing while one was found dead. The other two are safe as they had clung on to some tree roots when the tidal waves hit,” he said when met at the Batu Feringghi operations centre early yesterday.
George Town Public Order and Internal Security chief DSP Tan Loo Kim said 320 personnel from the police, Federal Reserve Unit, Rela, army and other agencies were stationed along the Batu Feringghi and Tanjong Tokong stretch.
He said search operations would continue as long as there was daylight, adding that those with missing relatives should go to the Penang Hospital mortuary to identify the bodies.
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