Indonesia: School Building Collapse Kills 10

The death toll from a school building collapse in Sidoarjo, East Java, climbed to 10 on Friday, officials confirmed, while dozens remain trapped beneath the rubble with little hope of survival days after the tragedy.

The multi-storey boarding school collapsed suddenly on Monday as students gathered for afternoon prayers.

Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya search and rescue office, told reporters that five additional victims were recovered on Friday, all deceased, bringing the overall toll to 10.

Two male students were found in the ablution area after being struck by falling debris, according to Yudhi Bramantyo, operations director of the national search and rescue agency. Another three victims were pulled from nearby areas of the site.

Authorities had previously reported that 59 people were missing before Friday’s discoveries.

Distraught families have been waiting at the scene as investigators probe the cause of the collapse, with early findings suggesting substandard construction.

Rescue teams described the operation as delicate, warning that vibrations in one part of the wreckage could endanger others. However, families agreed on Thursday to allow the use of heavy machinery after the critical 72-hour survival window had passed.

At least one crane has been deployed to clear debris, with more expected to speed up recovery. Efforts were briefly interrupted by an overnight earthquake on Tuesday, further complicating the mission.