Sidoarjo Islamic boarding school collapse kills 65, rescue continues

SIDOARJO, Indonesia — A multistorey section of the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo collapsed on Monday during afternoon prayers, killing dozens and leaving many more injured as rescuers worked through the week to recover victims from concrete rubble, authorities said. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported the confirmed death toll had risen to 65 as recovery teams continued to clear debris and search for any remaining victims.

Hundreds of students, mostly teenage boys, were gathered in a prayer hall on the lower floor when the upper levels of the century‑old pesantren gave way, officials said. About 100 people were treated for injuries, many suffering head trauma and broken bones; dozens remained hospitalized. Relatives and school officials assisted the wounded after the collapse, and families gathered at the site and nearby hospitals awaiting news of missing children.

Police and disaster officials said the building was undergoing an unauthorized expansion when pillars failed during concrete work, causing the structure to collapse on top of those below. Provincial police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast said the original prayer hall was two stories and...