The death toll from the collapse of a school in East Java, Indonesia, has reached 54, with search and rescue efforts ongoing for over a dozen individuals still unaccounted for. The incident occurred last Monday at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school, where many students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for prayers when the two-storey building collapsed while under construction.
Authorities from Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency have classified this incident as the deadliest disaster in the country for the year. They anticipate completing the search for approximately 13 victims who are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble by the end of the day. Investigations into the collapse are underway, with preliminary reports suggesting that the foundation may have been unstable.
Budi Irawan, an official with the disaster mitigation agency, indicated at a press conference that this disaster has resulted in more fatalities than any other event in 2025, whether natural or man-made. Among the deceased are at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Al Khoziny, known locally as a pesantren, is one type of traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia. Many of these institutions operate without formal regulations or consistent oversight, raising questions about whether Al Khoziny had the necessary permits for its construction activities.
Authorities have reported that search and rescue efforts have been complicated by the structure of the collapsed building, which left only narrow voids for responders to navigate. Survivors have recounted their experiences, including a 13-year-old boy named Muhammad Rijalul Qoib, who described hearing a series of loud noises before he fled and sustained injuries from falling debris.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87yvdpld59o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss