Death toll from Philippines tropical storm reaches 37

Manila: The death toll from a weekend tropical storm that battered the northern Philippines rose on Wednesday to 37 while authorities worked to restore power and distribute drinking water in hard-hit areas.

Most of the victims were hit by iron sheeting or falling debris blown off houses after Tropical Storm Halong made landfall Saturday in Pangasinan province, northwest of Manila.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council said a total of 37 people died, 16 were injured and one was missing. The death toll previously had been 12, but there were delays in reporting casualties in remote areas.

The storm sliced through the mountainous region with strong winds dumping rains and triggering floods. It left the Philippines on Monday.

About 1 million people were affected but only 1,300 were still sheltered in evacuation centers. More than 200,000 were receiving rice and other food supplies, the disaster agency said in a report.