JAKARTA — The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia’s East Java province has risen to 53, as search operations for trapped victims continue, regional rescue authorities reported Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.
A joint rescue team recovered eight bodies on Sunday evening from beneath the rubble of the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school compound in Sidoarjo Regency, according to Nanang Sigit, head of the East Java Search and Rescue Office.
As of the eighth day of operations, a total of 157 victims have been accounted for, including 104 survivors and
53 fatalities.
Evacuation efforts remain ongoing, with debris removal now concentrated on the north side of the site — an area not connected to the main structure. Heavy machinery and electrical equipment have been deployed to aid
the search.
The building collapsed on Sept. 29, reportedly while hundreds of students were performing prayers inside, leaving many trapped under the debris. / XINHUA