Rescue team pull three more survivors alive from rubble of East Java Islamic School Collapse in Indonesia

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

Three more people were rescued alive from the Islamic school collapse in East Java on Tuesday, raising a total of 11 survivors by the rescue team.

According to Nanang Digit, Coordinator of the search and rescue mission, The victims were rescued at different times early Tuesday morning from the ruins of Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo and were transported to nearby hospitals. The team is working under hazardous conditions, with unstable debris and heavy concrete, “Safety remains our top priority during the evacuation.”

According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), 102 people have been accounted for since the collapse, including 91 who escaped on their own.

Eleven people have been rescued by joint SAR teams, while one fatality has been confirmed. Rescuers continue to search for 38 others believed to be trapped.

The operation involves hundreds of personnel from multiple agencies, including the Surabaya SAR Office, East Java and Sidoarjo disaster management agencies, the military, police, fire department, and volunteers.

Reinforcements arrived Tuesday from Basarnas Special Group units in Semarang and Yogyakarta, equipped with medical evacuation tools, breathing apparatuses, and other rescue gear.

As of Tuesday night, efforts were ongoing to clear more rubble in hopes of reaching additional victims.

Parliament Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the House had coordinated with both central and local governments to support the response.

He expressed condolences to the victims and called for stronger oversight to prevent future tragedies.

“We’ve urged authorities to act swiftly and ensure similar incidents don’t occur elsewhere,” he told reporters in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar visited the site on Tuesday and said the ministry would work to improve safety standards for Islamic schools and madrasahs nationwide.

“This is a wake-up call. Many Islamic schools are built through community efforts without adequate technical supervision, which poses serious risks,” he said.

He urged school operators to prioritize proper construction practices to prevent similar disasters. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.

Source: ANTARA