Islamic school collapse in Indonesia leaves three dead and dozens buried


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Rescue workers, police and soldiers were digging through the night after a building under construction at an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia collapsed on dozens of pupils who were praying.

Rescue personnel pulled out 11 injured survivors more than eight hours after the collapse at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in the town of Sidoarjo, in East Java, on Monday.

Local rescue agency head Nanang Sigit said in a statement that the number of people affected was 100, revising down an earlier figure of 102 due to double-counting.

At least three pupils were killed as dozens are presumed buried in the rubble, AP reported. Rescuers saw additional bodies that were difficult to reach, the report said, meaning the death toll was likely to rise.

Mr Nanang said rescue personnel had identified signs of life beneath the debris. "We used a camera and were able to detect six victims who showed signs of life," he said. "When they saw the light from the search camera, they were moving their legs."

Relatives of missing pupils at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School look at a list of names as search and rescue operations continue in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. AFP
Relatives of missing pupils at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School look at a list of names as search and rescue operations continue in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. AFP

The pupils are mostly boys in grades seven to 11, aged 12 to 18.

The rescue mission was suspended at 10.15am as the collapsed concrete shook suddenly, with people running to avoid another collapse.

Rescuers urged everyone in the area to avoid the area surrounding the building, including more than a dozens of ambulances parked near the scene. The work resumed about three and a half hours later.

Families awaited news at hospitals or near the collapsed building.

Heavy slabs of concrete and other rubble and unstable parts of the building were hampering search and rescue efforts, said Mr Nanang. Heavy equipment was available but not being used due to concerns it could cause further collapse.

“We have been running oxygen and water to those still trapped under the debris and keeping them alive while we work hard to get them out,” Mr Nanang said. He added that rescuers saw several bodies under the rubble but were focusing first on saving those who were still alive.

Several hundred rescuers were involved in the effort and had equipment for breathing, extrication, medical evacuation and other support tools.

Islamic boarding schools are commonly called “pesantren” in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation. Their pupils are referred tp as “santri".

Government data published last year showed that there were more than 42,400 pesantren in Indonesia, with 3.4 million santris and 370,000 Islamic teachers and clerics employed as staff.

- With agencies

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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

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Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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Updated: October 01, 2025, 3:29 AM`