Rescuers Pull Five Survivors From Collapsed Islamic School In East Java

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- Rescuers pulled five survivors from the rubble of a collapsed Islamic boarding school in Indonesia's East Java, as the death toll rose to five, officials said.

They were found at the Al Khoziny Pesantren in Buduran, Sidoarjo, during a joint search-and-rescue operation that continued late into the night on Wednesday, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

One of them was in critical condition and rushed to Sidoarjo Hospital along with the others, BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement on Thursday.

Two more bodies were recovered and taken to Siti Hajar Hospital, raising the death toll to five.

Abdul Muhari said provisional data suggested 59 people remained trapped, though the figure could change as some survivors may have been away from the site during the incident and had yet to report on their whereabouts.

Rescuers were also searching for signs of life from one individual, but warned that the unstable structure made heavy machinery too risky, adding that families would be consulted before using such equipment for recovery efforts.

“The victim is believed to be in a particularly difficult location, requiring special strategies to ensure the safety of both the individual and the rescue team," he added.

The four-storey building collapsed on Monday afternoon as workers poured concrete on the top floor, burying students and labourers beneath the rubble in what authorities blamed on structural failure.

-- BERNAMA