The number of students who died in the collapse of the Al-Khuzini boarding school building in the city of Sidoarjo, East Java province, Indonesia, has risen to 37, and the search operation for 26 more missing people is still ongoing.
According to Reuters, the incident occurred while the foundations of the school building, which was under construction on the upper floors, could not bear the weight and collapsed on hundreds of teenage students during afternoon prayers.
Local authorities have stated that the school administration had not obtained the necessary permits to expand the building, and the recent earthquake has complicated the rescue operation.
Rescue teams are clearing the rubble using heavy equipment including bulldozers and search dogs, and more than 30 ambulances are ready to transport the injured.
The disaster, which left more than 100 injured, has once again highlighted building safety issues in Indonesian schools, and authorities have promised a thorough investigation.
