Rescuers in East Java, Indonesia are racing to find 38 people believed to be trapped in the rubble of a school building that collapsed on Monday
Three students were killed and 99 others were taken to hospital, some of them with critical injuries, officials say, adding that the death toll may rise
Many of those who are trapped are teenage boys who had gathered for prayers when the building collapsed
The two-storey building had an unstable foundation and could not support the weight of the additional construction of two more floors, officials say
Watch: One street away from collapsed school as relatives wait for news
Search and rescue operations are being carried out "continuously" to "make the most of the golden time to save lives," the agency said.
It called for the public's support and prayers, and also thanked all 332 people from 56 agencies that have been involved in the emergency response so far.
More from the rescue agency's update. It lays out its dilemma with the use of heavy equipment, such as cranes and excavators.
Technically, these tools help lift the concrete slabs and open access.
"However, shifting the slabs may also endanger the lives of survivors still trapped beneath the rubble," said Mohammad Syafeii, head of the rescue agency Basarnas.
Image source, EPAWe've just gotten an update from the National Search and Rescue Agency, saying that a "specialised operation" is needed as the nature of the collapse has made search and rescue efforts challenging.
The collapsed building has taken on "a pancake type structure with layers of concrete slabs leaving only narrow voids, unstable conditions, and the possibility of survivors still trapped," said Mohammad Syafeii, head of the agency Basarnas.
The agency has deployed a group from its headquarters that's equipped with "special extrication tools". This team will be reinforced with search and rescue units from Semarang and Yogyakarta, he said.
Image source, Getty ImagesAuthorities say the building could not withstand the weight of additional concrete
Students who survived the incident have recounting their harrowing escapes to local media.
Seventh grader Muhammad Rijalul Qoib said hundreds of people had gathered to pray when they heard the sound of falling rocks.
"It got louder and louder," the 13-year-old told detikJatim, adding that he immediately ran outside.
He was hit by falling roof debris, but managed to climb out of the rubble.
Another student, Sofa, told Kompas he saw students with "lots of injuries". "There were also broken bones," he said.
The school's caretaker KH Abdus Salam Mujib apologised to the students' families on Monday, attributing the incident to "God's will". "Hopefully, God will replace it with something better," he said.
Nanang Sigit, the chief of Surabaya's search and rescue agency, says they believe there are survivors in the collapsed building because they heard "crying and shouting".
"But we need to be vigilant and tread carefully, because the condition of the collapsed building is unstable," he said.
As we've been reporting, rescuers are searching for 38 people trapped under the rubble.
Astudestra Ajengrastri
BBC News Indonesia
Al Khoziny, the school which collapsed on Monday, is a pesantren - a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia.
Enrolled students live, study, and practice religion under the guidance of a religious teacher.
Traditionally, pesantren focus on Islamic studies, such as memorising the Quran, learning Arabic and Islamic law.
But now many pesantren also offer general education.
Unlike regular schools, pesantren fall under the authority of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, not the Ministry of Education.
Oversight is often limited. Many pesantren operate informally, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring.
The religious affairs ministry's East Java office said on Tuesday that the collapse was a lesson about safety standards on the construction of religious schools.
The ministry, which expressed its "deepest condolences", also pledged to strictly monitor government assistance to the disaster's victims.
Here are some pictures of what has unfolded since the building collapsed on Monday. Rescuers have been racing against time to find survivors, but large pieces of rubble are hindering their search efforts. Earlier today, the search was temporarily suspended because the collapsed concrete shook again.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe collapsed building did not have a firm foundation, authorities say
Image source, Getty ImagesRelatives of the students have gathered in front of the building where ambulances are on standby
Image source, Getty ImagesRelatives are anxiously waiting for news of their family members still trapped under rubble
Image source, Indonesia's National Disaster Management AgencyLarge concrete slabs are hindering search efforts
Two more students who were injured in the collapse have died in the hospital, Surabaya's search and rescue agency has confirmed.
This brings the death toll up to three.
We'll continue to bring you the latest updates as we get them.
You’ll see here that the collapsed part of the building has completely sunken in, with large slabs of concrete sticking out from the rubble. Rescuers have been working overnight to find survivors.
Watch: Rescuers search for dozens missing after Indonesia school collapses
At least 38 people, many of them teenage boys, are believed to be trapped under the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in the East Java town of Sidoarjo. They had gathered for prayers when the building gave way.
The two-storey building had an unstable foundation and could not support the weight of the additional construction of two more floors, the disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday.
The girls were praying in another part of the building and managed to escape, according to the Associated Press.
Students in the school are between the ages of 12 and 17.
Rescuers in Indonesia are racing to free dozens of students and workers trapped under rubble after a school building that collapsed while undergoing construction on Monday.
A 13-year-old boy was killed and 101 others were taken to hospitals, some of them with critical injuries, officials say, adding that the death toll may raise.
We’ll bring you the latest updates as we get them. Stay with us.