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Indonesia School Collapse Leaves 91 Students Still Buried as Cautious Rescue Continues

Police cite an unauthorized two-floor addition to a century-old prayer hall as the likely cause.

Overview

  • Authorities report at least three students dead and about 100 injured since the collapse at Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java.
  • The National Disaster Management Agency revised the number presumed buried to 91 after reviewing attendance records and family reports.
  • More than 300 rescuers are working around unstable concrete, supplying oxygen, water and food through gaps while avoiding heavy machinery to prevent further collapse.
  • Officials say at least six children are known to be alive under the debris, with students mostly boys aged 12 to 18 who were praying when the hall gave way.
  • An investigation is underway into the unpermitted expansion that added two concrete floors to a two-storey hall whose foundation was apparently too weak to bear the load.