Rescue operations continue into a second day in East Java, Indonesia, after a section of an Islamic boarding school collapsed during afternoon prayers, leaving dozens trapped under debris and at least three confirmed dead.
The collapse occurred at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, a suburb of Surabaya, just as pupils, mostly boys aged between 12 and 18, were performing prayers in a mosque housed on the lower floor. Female students, located elsewhere in the building, largely escaped unharmed.
Authorities revised the number of those buried from the initial estimate of 38 to 91 missing persons, though there is growing fear that the toll may rise further. So far, rescue workers have recovered three bodies and injured over 100 others, many of whom sustained head injuries and fractures.
Search cameras have identified at least six survivors who are believed to be alive beneath the rubble. However, the presence of dangerous concrete slabs and concerns about potential collapses that could injure trapped victims have hampered the process.
Preliminary investigations point to unauthorised construction work on the upper floors as the likely cause. The mosque’s original two‑storey structure was reportedly being extended without permits; its existing foundations could not sustain the additional load.
Local officials have expressed serious concerns regarding insufficient close monitoring of construction processes, and some of them are calling for stronger enforcement of building safety regulations.
Relatives of the missing came anxiously to the scene, calling out over and over about a public whiteboard of survivor names, praying or shouting for family members still below. The scenes of emotion underscore the desperation of the rescue efforts and the human cost of structural collapse.
This disaster highlights recurring challenges in rapidly developing regions, where regulation often is no longer able to keep pace with the need for construction. As rescue efforts proceed, calls are growing in Indonesia and abroad for accountability and reform to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies.
