Islamic school collapse in Indonesia leaves three dead and dozens buried

Sixty-five pupils reported missing as rescue efforts continue

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

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