SIDOARJO: The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia’s East Java province has risen to 54, officials confirmed on Monday, as search and rescue teams continued efforts to find more than a dozen people still missing beneath the rubble. The incident occurred last week when part of the multi-storey boarding school suddenly gave way while students were gathering for afternoon prayers. Yudhi Bramantyo, operations director at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), said during a press briefing that so far “54 bodies have been recovered, including five body parts,” while stressing that recovery efforts were ongoing. Rescue workers, many of whom have been operating round the clock since the disaster struck, are racing against time to locate the missing, with hopes of completing the grim task by the end of Monday. Families of those unaccounted for reluctantly agreed on Thursday to allow the use of heavy machinery after the 72-hour “golden window” for finding survivors had passed.
Officials described the collapse as the deadliest disaster to hit Indonesia this year, underlining the seriousness of the tragedy. At least 13 people remain missing, and authorities have warned that the final death toll could climb further. Investigators are examining the cause of the collapse, but early assessments suggest that substandard construction practices may have been a key factor. Experts have long raised concerns over poor building standards in the country, which has suffered repeated tragedies linked to weak regulation and oversight. Budi Irawan, deputy head of the National Disaster Agency (BNPB), noted that the collapse highlighted Indonesia’s persistent challenges with construction safety and compliance.
The disaster has renewed fears among residents and officials alike, especially after recent similar incidents. In September, a building hosting a prayer recital in West Java collapsed, killing three people and injuring dozens. As rescue operations in Sidoarjo continue, grief-stricken families have gathered near the site, many waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones. Authorities have pledged a full investigation and vowed to take strict action against those found responsible for negligence in the construction of the school. The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the urgent need for stronger building safety measures and stricter enforcement across the country.
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