Sidoarjo, East Java. The confirmed death toll from the collapse of Pondok Pesantren Al Khoziny in Sidoarjo has risen to 37 on Sunday, after joint search and rescue teams recovered 20 more bodies overnight. Dozens remain missing as efforts continue under difficult conditions.

The tragedy occurred on September 29, when the boarding school’s main building collapsed during the construction of new upper floors. At the time, around 140 students were praying on the ground floor, while workers were pouring concrete above for what was to become the second and third levels.

For several days after the collapse, rescue teams relied on sound and heat detectors to locate survivors. When no further signs of life were detected, authorities began using excavators and heavy machinery to clear debris late in the week.

“We are using one backhoe and a breaker, operated together with Basarnas teams, to open access beneath the concrete rubble,” said Yudhi Bramantyo, Director of Search and Rescue Operations at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

Yudhi said most of the latest bodies were discovered in areas A3 and A4, which previously served as the school’s prayer hall. Those zones became the focal point of the operation once equipment began removing the heaviest slabs of debris.

“After we opened blocked areas with machinery, we found many bodies in that prayer section,” Yudhi said.

He added that the search would continue until all missing individuals are recovered and the debris fully cleared.

“The operation will not stop until every victim is found and the collapsed building is completely cleaned up,” he added.

Authorities say at least 30 people remain missing, and all are feared dead. The four-day delay in deploying heavy equipment had sparked public concern, but officials maintained that early use of machinery risked further collapse and endangered rescue workers.

Preliminary assessments suggest that weak structural reinforcement and overloaded construction during the concrete pouring process likely caused the collapse. Local engineers and community leaders have since urged stricter safety standards for renovations at Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), many of which operate independently without formal engineering supervision.

The Sidoarjo disaster has reignited national debate over building safety and regulatory oversight, particularly in educational and religious institutions that rely on community funding and informal construction practices.

In reaction to the tragedy, the East Java provincial government has mobilized trauma-support services for the victims’ families. Social workers, volunteers, and clinical psychologists from Menur Hospital are providing psychological assistance and motivational counseling. 

Additionally, basic needs for affected families are being addressed through coordination with the National Alms Agency (Baznas), which has provided medical aid, public kitchens, and water facilities at the disaster site. Local government also stepped in to coordinate heavy-equipment use, working with the military command to balance rescue urgency and structural safety.

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