MANILA, Philippines – The death toll from Typhoon Saola has risen to 37 and is expected to go higher as new rains worsen flooding, AFP reported Friday (August 3rd).

Monsoon rains continued to batter the northern and central parts of the Philippines with some towns remaining flooded for the sixth day in a row, despite the typhoon having moved away from the archipelago.

Earlier reports said 23 had been killed but civil defence chief Benito Ramos said more deaths had been reported, including 11 youths who drowned in four different parts of the country on Thursday.

The death toll is likely to go even higher, he added, citing four more people who went missing in the north.

In the coastal districts near Manila, knee-high floods persisted Friday, said Jeremy de Ocampo of the capital's flood control office.

Although Saola did not hit the Philippines directly, it caused heavy rains over a wide swath of the country, flooding parts of Manila and surrounding areas.