JAKARTA Indonesia AP The death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit a remote island in Indonesia rose to 25 on Tuesday as rescue teams searched for more victims and survivors officials said. The magnitude-6.5 quake hit Mangole island on Sunday night destroying buildings and houses and triggering landslides. Strong aftershocks continued to rock the island Tuesday hampering rescue efforts and frightening villagers. Initially six people were reported killed on the island about 1900 kilometers 1180 miles northeast of Indonesia's capital Jakarta. Karim Samona a local government official contacted by telephone on Mangole confirmed the toll jumped to 25 after reports were received from isolated villages. At least eight were still missing he said. ``Rescue teams are looking for more possible victims in remote areas. The toll could rise further'' Wahab Konoras another official said in a telephone interview from Ternate the capital of North Maluku regency. Officials denied unconfirmed reports that the toll had already climbed above 30 dead. Afraid that aftershocks might bring down their damaged homes about 7000 people slept in tents or in the open. ``People are still very scared'' said Karim. Widespread damage was also reported on neighboring Taliabu island but there were no reports of deaths there. Local government officials said more than 150 people were injured and more than 858 homes churches mosques and other buildings were damaged on both islands. Mangole's main government buildings were flattened. Some houses slid into the sea. Roads were cut and bridges destroyed hampering search and rescue efforts. Neither island has a major hospital. Karim said emergency flights were taking seriously injured victims to neighboring islands for urgent treatment. Urgently needed food and medical supplies were expected to arrive by ship on Wednesday from the neighboring Ambon island he said. Five of the dead were killed when the roof of a timber factory collapsed. Others were killed when their houses fell down. Some were killed by landslides. One landslide destroyed Mangole's main shipping dock. On Tuesday electricity supplies remained cut in many places and telecommunications with both islands were patchy. The quake struck at 10:10 p.m. local time Sunday and was centered beneath the Maluku Sea about 370 kilometers 230 miles south of the city of Manado on the island of Sulawesi the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency said. Initially the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the quake had a magnitude of 7.6 but this was later revised down to 6.5 by the Indonesian agency. Mangole and Taliabu are part of the Maluku archipelago known in colonial times as the Spice Islands. Earthquakes are common in Indonesia which lies astride the so-called Pacific ``Ring of Fire'' a line of volcanically active areas that stretches from Central America and the western coast of North America across to Japan Southeast Asia the South Pacific and New Zealand. APW19981201.0395.txt.body.html APW19981201.0927.txt.body.html