Sidoarjo,indonesia – Rescue efforts continue as at least 91 students remain trapped under the concrete rubble of a collapsed Islamic school building almost two days after the disaster struck,authorities confirmed Wednesday. The number of those presumed buried has been revised upwards from 38, following a review of attendance records and reports from families of the missing.
The collapse occurred Monday afternoon at the al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in East java province, a century-old institution where hundreds of mostly teenage boys were performing prayers in a prayer hall undergoing an unauthorized expansion. This incident underscores the dangers of unregulated construction and the vulnerability of students in aging infrastructure,raising questions about building safety standards and oversight in Indonesia.
More than 300 rescue workers are working to free survivors, wiht at least three students confirmed dead and 100 others injured, many suffering from head injuries and broken bones. Authorities have reported that at least six children are alive beneath the debris, but the precarious nature of the rubble – unstable slabs of concrete and heavy building components – is hindering the use of heavy equipment, increasing the risk of further collapse.
Rescuers are delivering oxygen, water, and food through narrow gaps to those trapped, some of whom are pinned in place. The students affected are primarily boys in grades seven to twelve, aged between 12 and 18. Female students were praying in a separate building and escaped unharmed.
According to authorities, the prayer hall, originally two stories, was being expanded to four stories without the necessary permits. Police investigations suggest the buildingS foundation was unable to support the additional concrete weight, leading to the collapse during the pouring process.