Schoolchildren tried to cross a street amid raging floods caused by Super Typhoon Saola in the Philippines.

The pupils in their school uniforms attempted to wade through the muddy deluge, sparking panic among concerned onlookers who urged them to return to the sidewalk.

Heavy rain was pummeling Old Cabalan Town in Olongapo City on August 29, swamping the roads with cascading floods.

Typhoon Saola, known locally as 'Goring', intensified into a super typhoon on August 27, state weather agency PAGASA said.

It tore through the Philippines' northern provinces over the weekend, displacing more than 2,000 people, officials said.

PAGASA said Saola had re-intensified to super typhoon strength late Tuesday evening as it approached the country's northernmost island of Batanes. It was expected to maintain its strength as it churns northwest toward Taiwan before slamming into southern China and Hong Kong.