Rescue Efforts Intensify as Missing Students Count Rises After Indonesian School Collapse

A tragic incident in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, has led to a significant increase in the number of students reported missing following the collapse of a multi-story school building. Initial estimates suggested that 38 individuals were unaccounted for, primarily students, but officials have now confirmed that at least 91 people are still missing under the rubble of the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school.

According to Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the Indonesian disaster management agency, search and rescue teams are racing against time to locate those trapped. As of this afternoon, rescuers successfully pulled one individual alive from the debris, while another was discovered deceased, bringing the total death toll to four. Approximately 100 individuals managed to escape the building when it collapsed on Monday afternoon, and 26 others are currently receiving medical treatment.

The majority of the missing students are reported to be between the ages of 13 and 18. Many anxious parents have been gathered near the site, waiting for updates from rescue workers. The school, located on the main island of Java, was in the midst of construction when the disaster struck. Reports indicate that the building collapsed during the pouring of a concrete roof, allegedly due to a failure of a supporting column.

Eyewitnesses noted that the structure emitted creaking sounds before it came crashing down, catching numerous students who were engaged in afternoon prayers off guard. Rescue teams have been tirelessly searching for survivors, with Muhari mentioning that six individuals have been detected alive beneath the wreckage, thanks to thermal sensors. These survivors are being provided with food and water through small openings, though their extraction is complicated by the heavy concrete debris.

According to Mohammad Syafii, head of the Basarnas search and rescue agency, rescuers are tunneling from the ground floor toward multiple locations where victims may be trapped. They have identified 15 potential sites where individuals could still be alive, with at least six showing signs of life.

Due to the risk of additional collapses, rescue teams have opted against using heavy machinery. Instead, they are navigating through narrow passages, often less than 60 centimeters wide, and are digging with their hands or small tools. Hundreds of personnel from Basarnas, local disaster response agencies, military, and police are working around the clock in this critical operation. Syafii emphasized that the collapse involved several layers of heavy concrete, necessitating special precautions. The ongoing rescue efforts remain extremely dangerous, as even minor vibrations could trigger further structural failures.

In Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation with the world's largest Muslim population, the educational landscape includes thousands of Islamic schools and boarding facilities, particularly on the island of Java.