The death toll from the collapse of a boarding school in Indonesia’s Java island has climbed to 54, with rescuers still searching for more than a dozen missing beneath the rubble, officials have said.
“As of this morning, we have retrieved 54 victims, including five body parts,” Yudhi Bramantyo, operations director at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), told reporters on Monday.
“We hope to conclude recovery efforts today and return the bodies to their families,” he said.
Part of the multi-storey building suddenly gave way last week as students gathered for afternoon prayers, in what has become Indonesia’s deadliest disaster so far this year.
Investigation is underway
Rescue teams have been working around the clock at the site, while at least 13 people remain unaccounted for, said Budi Irawan, deputy head of the National Disaster Agency (BNPB).
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse. Experts say early findings point to substandard construction as a possible factor — a recurring issue in Indonesia, where weak building standards and poor enforcement often lead to deadly structural failures.
The families of those still missing agreed to the use of heavy machinery on Thursday after the 72-hour “golden period” for survival had passed.
In a similar incident last month, a building hosting a prayer recital in West Java collapsed, killing three people and injuring dozens, renewing concerns over the country’s construction safety oversight.
