Indonesia Searches for 54 Missing After School Prayer Hall Collapse
Sidoarjo, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said rescue teams are still searching for 54 people feared trapped under the rubble of a collapsed prayer hall at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java.
“The number of people still being searched for is 54. This figure is based on the students’ attendance list released by the boarding school,” Abdul Muhari, who heads BNPB’s data and disaster communications center, said in a press briefing on Friday, September 3, 2025.
So far, joint search-and-rescue (SAR) teams have recovered four bodies, and officials warned the death toll could rise.
“There is potential for more bodies to be found. We will provide updates,” said BNPB chief Lt. Gen. Suharyanto.
Shift to Recovery Operations
Rescuers have shifted their focus to recovery and debris removal using heavy equipment after assessments indicated there were no further signs of life.
The effort involves Indonesia’s national SAR agency Basarnas, the TNI–Polri (the Indonesian Armed Forces and National Police), regional disaster agencies (BPBD), fire departments, the social affairs rapid-response unit (Tagana), and public works and water resources offices, alongside volunteers—more than 400 personnel working around the clock.
“Over 400 members of the joint SAR team are working day and night,” Suharyanto said, adding that families had agreed to the use of heavy machinery.
“All the families have given their consent and understand that heavy equipment may further disturb the condition of the bodies beneath the debris.”
Teams have conducted repeated reassessments—using physical searches, voice calls to potential survivors, and specialized tools such as the Olympus flexible search camera, the Xaver 400 wall scanner, and the Multi Search Leader system.
Incident Details
The three-story building, used as a mushala (prayer hall) within the boys’ dormitory area of the Al Khoziny boarding school, collapsed during the late-afternoon Asr prayer at around 3:00 p.m. local time on Monday, September 29, 2025.
As of Friday, September 3, 2025, authorities reported 12 fatalities. Officials said all operations in the field are being carried out with caution to avoid additional risks.
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