East Java, indonesia – A frantic search continues for students trapped within the rubble of an Islamic boarding school in East Java province, following a collapse Wednesday that has left families in agonizing uncertainty. The disaster, which occurred during ongoing construction on the school building, has prompted calls for stricter safety regulations across Indonesia‘s vast network of pesantren schools.
The school, located in Sidoarjo, collapsed after its foundation pillars failed to support the weight of new construction on the fourth floor, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster agency. Search and rescue official Emi Frizer described the building as “elastic” and attributed the collapse to “foundational failure.” Questions have also been raised regarding why students were conducting prayers on the first floor while construction took place above.
rescuers have so far retrieved seven victims from the debris, five of whom were alive. The operation, though, is proving complex, with concerns about landslides and the limited space – approximately 60cm wide – for access through tunnels being dug around the building’s concrete columns. Thermal-sensing drones are being deployed to locate both survivors and the deceased as the critical 72-hour window for rescue diminishes.
Muhammad Faisol was among the anxious parents waiting for news of his 16-year-old son, Irham. “There had been no news,” he said, turning prayer beads in his hand.
KH Agus Salam Mujib, the head of the school, stated the collapse occurred during the final stages of a 10-month construction project but did not address allegations of lax building standards.
Indonesia has over 30,000 Islamic boarding schools, known as pesantren, according to government data.Mohammad Syafi’i, head of Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, emphasized the challenges facing rescue teams, noting the risk of further collapse due to vibration. He urged caution during the digging process.
With Agence France-Presse and Reuters
