The bustling town of Sidoarjo in Indonesia's East Java province has become the focal point of a desperate humanitarian effort as rescue workers intensify their search for survivors following the catastrophic collapse of an Islamic boarding school. With a somber count of three confirmed fatalities and approximately 100 individuals injured, the primary concern remains the fate of 91 students who are still missing, buried beneath tons of concrete and twisted metal.
The disaster struck Monday afternoon during prayer time, when the multi-story structure, part of the century-old al Khoziny Islamic boarding school, suddenly gave way. Authorities have indicated that the building was undergoing an unauthorized expansion, with two additional stories being constructed atop an existing two-story prayer hall. Initial investigations suggest the original foundation was not robust enough to support the added weight, leading to the collapse during the concrete pouring process.
Emergency teams, numbering over 300, are engaged in a relentless race against the clock. The critical "golden hours" for survivor rescue typically diminish rapidly after the initial 24-hour mark, making every passing moment crucial. Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, emphasized the urgency, stating, "We are currently racing against time because it is possible that we can still save lives of those we have detected within the golden hours."
Among the injured, 26 individuals remain hospitalized, many suffering from severe head injuries and broken bones. Rescuers have bravely navigated the precarious debris, managing to detect at least six children still alive beneath the rubble. Their survival is being supported by the ingenious delivery of oxygen, water, and food through narrow crevices. However, the search is significantly hampered by the instability of the remaining concrete slabs, which prevent the use of heavy machinery for fear of triggering further collapses.
Advanced technology, including specialized detectors and thermal drones, is being deployed to pinpoint potential survivors. The majority of the missing are boys aged 12 to 18, enrolled in grades seven to 12, who were in the prayer hall at the time of the collapse. Fortunately, female students praying in a separate section of the building managed to escape unharmed. The initial confusion regarding the number of missing persons was clarified after diligent checks of attendance lists and family consultations, leading to the revised figure of 91 unaccounted individuals. As Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, noted, "In the early stages there will inevitably be some confusion about the data."
---
Originally published at: https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-islamic-school-collapse-java-16259f65a7ff76165dc67020c7d619ee
