SIDOARJO, Indonesia: The death toll in an Indonesian school collapse rose to 14 on Saturday (Oct 4), an official said, as rescuers moved to deploy heavy machinery to recover dozens more victims believed still buried under the rubble.
The Al Khoziny school in the town of Sidoarjo in East Java province caved in on Monday, cratering upon hundreds of teenage students during afternoon prayer, its foundations unable to support ongoing construction work on its upper floors.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto told reporters rescuers found nine bodies on Friday, raising the toll to 14.
“As of today, we are still searching for 49 people who are still missing,” Suharyanto, who goes by one name, said Saturday as reported by broadcaster Kompas TV.
More victims could be found, Suharyanto said, as rescuers moved to use heavy machinery to clear locations where the victims were believed to be buried underneath the rubble.
“After the last victim was found last night, we are focusing on a massive cleanup, with heavy equipment entering the collapsed areas,” he said.
The school collapse was so violent that it sent tremors across the neighbourhood, according to residents.
Earlier on Friday, the agency said that 30 ambulances were prepared as rescuers continued looking for the missing students – mostly teenage boys from the ages of 13 to 19 – still trapped under the rubble.
It added that rescuers had received the parents’ permission to make use of heavy equipment after failing to find signs of life during previous efforts.
“Every family of the victims has given their blessing if the heavy equipment gets in there and disturbs the bodies beneath the rubble,” said Suharyanto on Friday.
