Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54
News Agency
The death count from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Hundreds pupils, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals trapped beneath the rubble by day's end.
Probe Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-level structure caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The total count encompasses at least two people who were extracted from the debris but later succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to undertake additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the building fell, creating tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "noticing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person immediately ran for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
