Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous students, primarily adolescent males, had gathered for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the country's deadliest disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped beneath the rubble by day's end.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the collapse. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The total count encompasses at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but later succumbed in medical care.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many pesantren function without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the structure fell, creating narrow voids for rescuers to operate within, authorities reported last week.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.
