Pain lingers for families a decade after Kinabalu earthquake tragedy
Ten years after the 6.0-magnitude earthquake on Mount Kinabalu that claimed 18 lives, the pain remains fresh for the families of the victims.
Soutim Sumbin, 62, the mother of mountain guide Valerian Joannes, said the loss still haunts her.
"The last time I met him was a week before the incident, during our big family gathering. Losing him still feels like it just happened yesterday. He wasn't sick; he was healthy and hardworking.
"That is what made it even more painful because he left us while doing what he loved.
"Although it has been 10 years, it is certainly something that cannot be forgotten forever. I am thankful that despite many years having passed, he is still being remembered," said the mother of 10, when met during the 10th Memorial Service held at Kiau Gap View in Kundasang, near here.