Indonesia Rescue Efforts Uncover 54 Victims of Devastating School Collapse

Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Reaches 54 as Search for Missing Students Continues JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers searching for missing students after a prayer hall at an Islamic boarding school collapsed last week recovered the bodies of dozens of students over the weekend, bringing the confirmed death toll to 54. The collapse occurred on Tuesday in Sidoarjo, East Java, where hundreds of students were attending classes. The building was under renovation, but authorities have alleged that construction work was being carried out without a permit. "We are doing our best to find the remaining missing students," said Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency. "We will continue to search and rescue until we find everyone." Using heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers, circular saws and sometimes their bare hands, rescue teams removed tons of rubble in an attempt to find the 14 students reportedly still missing. Rescuers found 35 bodies over the weekend alone, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. The search efforts have been ongoing since Tuesday, but progress has been slow due to the heavy debris and unstable structure. The collapse has sparked outrage among locals and authorities alike, with many questioning the safety measures in place at the school. "This tragedy highlights the need for stricter regulations on construction and renovation work," said East Java Governor Saifullah Yusuf. The incident is not an isolated one in Indonesia, where building collapses have become a recurring issue due to lax enforcement of safety codes and inadequate infrastructure. In 2018, a shopping mall in Jakarta collapsed during construction, killing three people. As the search for missing students continues, international aid has begun pouring in. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has dispatched a team to assist with rescue efforts and provide support to affected families. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of Islamic boarding schools, which are popular among Indonesian parents seeking affordable education for their children. "These schools are supposed to be safe havens for our children," said Nurhayati, whose 17-year-old son is still missing. As the death toll continues to rise, authorities have vowed to investigate the cause of the collapse and hold those responsible accountable. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for improved safety measures in Indonesia's education sector. Associated Press writers contributed to this report from Jakarta and Sidoarjo, East Java. *Reporting by Theguardian.*