Anadolu staff
01 October 2025•Update: 01 October 2025
ANKARA
The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has jumped to five as rescuers pulled out two more bodies from the rubble, rescue officials said on Wednesday.
Some 84 students are still believed trapped under the rubble as rescuers raced to find survivors.
Nanang Sigit, head of the East Java Search and Rescue Office, told reporters that rescuers evacuated seven students, five of them alive and two dead.
On Tuesday, it was reported that three people died after the collapse of the school building.
However, state-run Antara news agency put the death toll at four, while dozens were injured in the collapse.
Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Mohammad Syafii said that as of Wednesday, 13 victims had been pulled from the debris.
The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
The collapse occurred when the foundation pillars gave way under the added weight of a newly built fourth floor.
A combined search and rescue (SAR) force of 332 personnel has been deployed, including teams from local disaster agencies, police, and military officials.
Heavy machinery remains on standby but cannot yet be used due to fears that vibrations could cause further collapse.
On Tuesday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said the incident occurred at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School while hundreds of students were gathered for prayers.
A total of 102 people were rescued.
While 77 people were taken to hospitals, 26 are still receiving treatment, while the rest have been discharged.
*Writing by Aamir Latif
