CHUKAI, July 3 — The search and rescue (SAR) operation of eight missing victims involved in the water surge incident at Jeram Mawar, Air Putih here has been divided into three sectors with a search radius of 32 km, police said.

Kemaman district police chief Supt Hanyan Ramlan said the first sector involved an area of up to eight km from the location of the incident, the second sector is the area from Air Putih Police Station to Sungai Pinang Dam (up to 15 km) and the area from Sungai Pinang towards the mouth of Sungai Kemaman (15 km above) is under the third sector.

"The search radius has increased to 32 km because of the strong current caused by heavy rain last night,” he said at a press conference at the Operations Control Centre at Air Putih Police Station here, today.

He said the SAR team comprising 163 members from various agencies led by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), has yet to find any clue on the victims’ whereabouts.

Hanyan urged villagers in the area to contact the police if they find any leads to assist the SAR mission.

He said the SAR team involved a total of 30 police personnel, JBPM (65), General Operations Force (GOF) (46), Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) (four), non-governmental organisations (four) and a technical special force consisting of nine members of the public, adding the team is also being assisted by tracker dogs from JBPM’s K9 unit.

Meanwhile, Terengganu JBPM director Hassan ‘As’ari said the search would be focused on the first sector today involving those from the police, JBPM and GOF because the first and second victims were found in the sector.

Hassan said the team would look at various elements in detail, especially involving the safety of the SAR team members due to the strong river current.

"Regarding access to the location, we have a strategy, in addition to deploying a team every five to seven km to search the surrounding areas,” he said.

Yesterday, 10 individuals, nine of them family members from Felda Lepar Hilir, Kuantan in Pahang were at Jeram Mawar for a picnic, before being swept away by a strong current.

Two victims that were found by the public at noon yesterday were identified as Azizah Eiyi, 40, and her 11-year-old son Muhammad Zulqarnain Haikal Karim.

The eight missing individuals, including seven family members, have been identified as Karim Abdullah, 39; Putri Balqis Izzati Abdul Rahman, 18; Putri Alleya Maisarah Karim, 16; Putri Nor Fatin Karim, 14; Putri Nurerina Natasya Karim, 10; Muhammad Haziq Ziqree Karim, 6, and Putri Aryana Umaira Karim, 4, as well as Putri Balqis Izzati’s fiancé Muhammad Fikri Saliman, 24, from Batu Pahat, Johor. — Bernama