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The death count from the collapse of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons.

Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while being renovated.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the country's deadliest catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.

Investigation Ongoing into Collapse Cause

Authorities are still examining the cause behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.

"Among all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the ones in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.

The total count includes at least two people who were rescued from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.

School Background and Regulatory Concerns

The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.

Numerous pesantren operate without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.

Rescue Challenges

Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the building collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities stated last week.

Survivor Accounts

Those who escaped have shared their terrifying survival stories with local media.

One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".

The adolescent immediately ran for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.