Mexico City, Aug 8 (IANS): The death toll due to tropical storm Earl that battered Mexico over the weekend has risen to 38, authorities said.

On Sunday afternoon, the authorities reported at least 28 deaths in the state of Puebla, including 15 children. Meanwhile, Veracruz state reported 10 deaths by Sunday evening, Xinhua news agency reported.

The state's civil protection bureau said that the bodies had all been recovered.

Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte said that authorities were continuing to monitor rivers above critical levels.

The state has already evacuated dozens of people along major rivers in case of more rains but Earl is expected to begin to dissipate over Mexico's central mountains.

Before entering Mexico, Earl hit Honduras and Belize, capsizing boats and destroying homes.

However, worse may be yet to come for Mexico as the next tropical storm of the season, named Javier, was forming on Sunday off the country's Pacific Coast.