Hope Diminishes as Recovery Efforts Intensify at Collapsed Indonesian Boarding School
MAJALENGKA, INDONESIA - Recovery efforts have shifted from rescue to recovery at an Indonesian Islamic boarding school following its partial collapse on Monday, as the window for finding survivors narrows. authorities report the presumed death toll stands at 30, reduced from an initial estimate after a boy who fled during the collapse returned home safely.
The collapse occurred at the Nurul Iman boarding school in Majalengka, West Java, while construction was underway on a third-floor addition. Rows of ambulances line the main road leading to the school, with authorities blocking access to the site, even entering private residences as a precaution.
Initial investigations suggest the foundations may have been unable to support the added weight of the new construction.Authorities have stated the additions to the school were unauthorized. Silvy Fauzia, a local resident living 200 meters from the building, confirmed the construction had been ongoing for nine months, involving the addition of a concrete layer to the third floor, as reported by Indonesian media outlet Tempo.
Suharyanto,head of the national disaster agency BNPB,explained that any perceived delays in the operation were due to safety concerns regarding the unstable rubble. He added that families have now accepted the transition from rescue to recovery, prompting the deployment of heavy machinery.
One local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said families had previously complained when work on the site appeared to halt, and construction resumed after their concerns were raised.
A school executive declined to comment on the cause of the tragedy, stating the priority remained assisting rescue workers and families. Police have begun summoning individuals for questioning, but suharyanto requested a pause in the inquiry to allow recovery efforts to proceed unimpeded.
Despite the grim outlook, some families continue to hold onto hope. Patima, the mother of a student still missing, expressed a desire for her son to be found alive, but acknowledged, “it is beyond our control.”
