Emergency crews in Indonesia are scrambling to rescue dozens of people still trapped under the rubble of a collapsed Islamic boarding school in East Java. At least three people have been confirmed dead, and many others remain missing.
The Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo gave way on Monday while students were gathered for afternoon prayers. Families desperate for updates crowded the site on Tuesday as rescuers worked through unstable debris to reach survivors.
“The number of victims is 102 people, consisting of 99 survivors, 3 deaths,” said Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency. He added that teams were working urgently to reach those still buried beneath the rubble.
Nanang Sigit, who runs the agency’s East Java office, told The New York Times that rescuers had found 11 students so far. At least 30 were still trapped, and screams and cries could be heard from inside the wreckage.
Gatot Subroto, head of East Java’s disaster management organization, said about 100 students had been transported to a nearby hospital, with several in critical condition.
Rescue operations were temporarily paused on Tuesday after parts of the building became unstable, East Java police official Nanang Avianto told reporters.
Officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the collapse, but Nanang Sigit said construction workers were pouring concrete on the top floor when supporting pillars gave way, causing the structure to crash down onto the students below.
Subandi, the regent of Sidoarjo, told Kompas TV that the school had no permit for the expansion. “The construction was not up to standard,” he said. “So the whole thing collapsed.”
The incident has reignited concerns over lax construction practices and poor building oversight in Indonesia. Earlier this month, a separate building hosting a prayer recital in West Java collapsed, killing at least three people and injuring dozens.
Authorities say search and rescue operations will continue until everyone is accounted for.