At least 91 trapped after school building collapse in Indonesia

JAKARTA - Indonesia's disaster management agency said Wednesday that at least 91 were trapped after a school building collapsed on Monday in the Sidoarjo district of East Java province.

Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), said that as of Tuesday evening, the accident had left three people dead and more than 90 injured, with 26 still hospitalized.

Hundreds of rescuers from various agencies have been deployed to the site. Due to concerns that the use of heavy machinery could trigger further collapse, rescue workers have focused on manual excavation and are delivering food and water to those trapped under the rubble.

Rescuers at the scene said signs of life have been detected in parts of the collapsed structure, and efforts are being concentrated there.

Meanwhile, the BNPB is working with construction experts to draw up a safe debris-clearing plan so that heavy equipment can be used in later stages if necessary.