Basarnas Ensures SAR Operations For Victims Of Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding Schools Continued

Basarnas stated that the search and evacuation operation for victims of the collapse of the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School building, in Sidoarjo, East Java, was continued until all locations were declared complete and no casualties were left.

"The operation was declared complete after the scene was completely clear, the entire ruins could be separated, and it was confirmed that there were no more victims," said Basarnas Head Mohammad Syafii as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, October 6.

He explained that although Basarnas has standard operating provisions for seven days with a possible three-day extension, the Al-Khoziny case will be handled specifically given the large number of victims and complicated building conditions.

Until today or the eighth day since the building collapsed, the operation was still ongoing 24 hours full of involving elements of Basarnas, TNI/Polri, BNPB, BPBD, PMI, Firefighters to volunteers from various related agencies.

Syafii said that although the SAR operation would be completed, post-disaster handling activities would continue under the coordination of BNPB and other relevant ministries according to their respective functions.

"So, it does not mean that activities related to this incident have stopped. There are still further actions to be taken after the SAR operation is declared complete," he said, who was at the emergency post to directly monitor the operation from the scene.

Data from the emergency response post in Sidoarjo as of Monday at 18.38 WIB recorded that 169 people were evacuated. Among them 104 people were evacuated safely in medical treatment and the rest died.

In addition, the joint SAR team found a total of six pieces of the body which are still in the identification stage by the East Java Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team at Bhayangkara Hospital, Surabaya.

The number of victims is still possible to increase or decrease considering the process of assessment in the field which is still dynamic.