Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii said the agency’s top priority is to document every human remain found at the site, regardless of its condition.
"Basarnas has never stated the number of victims. We only report each person recovered from the rubble, whether whole or as body parts," Syafii told a press conference on Monday.
He cited his experience in aircraft disaster management, where identifiable body parts are still counted as successful recoveries.
All body parts recovered from the site will be formally recorded and handed over to the police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team for processing.
"What is clear is that we should not be debating this issue. That is what I want to emphasize," Syafii said.
He added that information on the total number of victims may come from multiple sources, including the police and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Related news: Prabowo demands national safety check of pesantren buildings
Therefore, he noted, data shared publicly should not be considered Basarnas’ official reference.
As of 6:38 p.m. local time (GMT+7) on Monday, 169 people had been evacuated from the site — 104 rescued and the rest confirmed dead.
Six body parts were also recovered and are being identified by the East Java Police’s DVI unit at Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya.
Officials said casualty figures remain dynamic and may change as field operations continue.
On the eighth day of the mission, Syafii thanked 65 agencies and more than 370 personnel for their tireless efforts, describing the operation as a reflection of national solidarity in search and rescue.
"For Basarnas, saving a single life is a success that cannot be measured by numbers," he said.
Related news: Indonesia probes boarding school buildings after 54 killed in collapse
Translator: Anton Santoso
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
